The Spy Rock: A Plastic Boulder in Moscow
In January two thousand six, Russian intelligence exposed a British covert transmitter hidden inside a fake rock on a Moscow street. This episode explores how British intelligence used a hollow plastic boulder to facilitate wireless data exchanges, the dramatic CCTV footage that led to its discovery, and the diplomatic fallout that followed when the UK eventually admitted the operation was real.
Listen in the Fylom app.
The FSB discovered a hollow plastic boulder containing internal electronics for wireless data exchange in Moscow.
British agents used the artificial rock as a digital dead drop to exchange data via short-range transmitters.
Hidden CCTV cameras captured embassy staff performing wireless handshakes with the device from twenty meters away.
X-ray analysis revealed the stationary digital post office was built using modified off-the-shelf computer components.
Jonathan Powell admitted to the operation in twenty twelve after years of official British government denials.
Russian authorities used the incident to justify new legislative restrictions on foreign-funded organizations and NGOs.
- 01Intro1 min
- 02The Discovery in the Snow2 min
- 03The Digital Dead Drop2 min
- 04Caught on Camera2 min
- 05Denial, Admission, and Fallout3 min
- 06Outro1 min
- Russia: 'Spy-Rock' Scandal Has NGOs Worried - Radio Free Europe
- U.K. admits fake rock plot to spy on Russia - The Hindu
- Russia Report: January 26, 2006
- Britain used fake rock to spy on Russia
- Russia accuses UK of spying
- Britain admits it used fake rock to spy on Russia
- FSB Weighs In on Spy Rock
- Brits Use Fake 'Spy Rock' in Moscow Espionage Gambit
- Britain admits 'fake rock' plot to spy on Russians
- Spy rock was real: Blair aide
- British admit using 'embarrassing' fake rock to spy on ...
- Under Russia's spy-rock scandal
- Russia Says British Used Rock to Spy
- Fake rock used by Britain to spy on Russia for years
- Britain admits that it was spying on Russians with "fake rock"
- U.K. Spy Rock Confirmation May Boost Putin
- Powell comes clean over spy rock
Fylom generates episodes like this on any topic you're curious about.
Fylom episodes are researched, written, and voiced by AI. Automated checks help catch inaccuracies, but episodes aren't reviewed by a human and AI can still get things wrong. Treat them as a starting point, not a source of record — more in our accuracy disclaimer.