Russian Influence Expands in Florida, Kremlin Establishes Foothold in Sunshine State

In a startling revelation for U.S. national security officials, an influential Russian propagandist known as “Sanya in Florida” has been exposed as having deep ties to Kremlin disinformation networks while previously holding positions with access to sensitive American defense information.

Alexandre (Alexander) Oureav, who operates under the online persona “Sanya in Florida,” has built a formidable propaganda empire from within the United States. His Telegram channel boasts nearly one million followers, while his TikTok account has amassed over 145,000 followers. His YouTube channel, which attracted more than 1.2 million subscribers before being shut down in January 2023 for pro-Russian content, served as a major amplification channel for Kremlin narratives.

An independent open-source intelligence group, TUA Research, has conducted an extensive investigation into Oureav’s background and activities, uncovering concerning connections that suggest potential national security implications beyond mere propaganda dissemination.

According to TUA’s findings, Oureav’s channel is officially registered with Roskomnadzor (RKN), Russia’s state media regulator that oversees all communications and mass media in the country. This federal agency employs over 1,000 staff members dedicated to monitoring content critical of Putin, with direct reporting lines to the Presidential Administration and security services.

More alarming is the connection French intelligence has established between Oureav and a Russian military intelligence-linked disinformation operation. France’s Service for Vigilance and Protection against Foreign Digital Interference (VIGINUM) has linked “Sanya in Florida” to Storm-1516, a disinformation group associated with Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency.

Storm-1516 has operated since August 2023, conducting industrial-scale disinformation campaigns designed to undermine Ukraine and erode trust across Western nations. The group creates false narratives and generates deceptive articles and AI videos, relying on propagandists like Oureav to amplify their messaging.

“Sanya in Florida is likely to have been paid for, or activated by, Russian Information Manipulation Set operators,” VIGINUM stated in their analysis, identifying his channel as part of the final stage in amplifying anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western narratives.

Born in Chelyabinsk, Russia, where he reportedly studied military science at South Ural State University, Oureav moved to the United States in 2002 and holds dual US-Russian citizenship. He launched his social media presence in 2018, initially focusing on life in America before pivoting to pro-Kremlin war coverage after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

What makes Oureav’s case particularly concerning to intelligence analysts is his professional background. TUA Research discovered that Oureav previously worked as a Principal Network Engineer at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a major U.S. defense contractor that provides government services and information technology support to the Department of Defense, NASA, and other federal agencies.

“The kinds of information about their systems that he’d have been privy to are exactly the sort that Russian intelligence would absolutely love to get their hands on,” TUA Research noted in their report. “It’s reasonable to surmise that they would have offered him significant incentives to disclose such information.”

SAIC’s career listings indicate that similar positions require a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance—a high-level security designation allowing access to classified national security information that, if leaked, could severely compromise U.S. security interests.

“Sanya represents a textbook counter-intelligence nightmare,” TUA Research warned. “A US security clearance holder actively leveraging their influence to spread Russian disinformation, while possessing a Roskomnadzor number, an administrative tie to the Kremlin’s censorship and surveillance apparatus.”

It remains unclear whether Oureav still works at SAIC or what specific information he may have accessed during his employment. When contacted for comment, SAIC did not respond to inquiries about Oureav’s past role with the company.

The case highlights broader concerns about Russian espionage activities in the United States and the vetting processes of defense contractors. U.S. intelligence officials have warned about intensifying Russian intelligence operations since at least 2017, noting that operatives sometimes seek employment at organizations handling sensitive information.

As Ukraine continues to rely on U.S. intelligence and military support in its defense against Russian aggression, the possibility that sensitive information could have been compromised raises significant concerns for both American and Ukrainian security interests.

The investigation into Oureav underscores the evolving nature of hybrid warfare and information operations in the digital age, where individuals can simultaneously maintain positions of trust within Western institutions while actively participating in foreign influence operations targeting those same institutions.