The CIA is using Instagram to teach Russians how to share state secrets with it

• The CIA made an Instagram post Monday teaching Russians how to contact the agency with information.
• The post has instructions, in Russian, how to obtain a Tor browser and access the CIA's channel.

The CIA is using social media to seek out Russians who might act as informants amid President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

On Monday, the agency's official Instagram account posted a set of instructions in Russian on how to make "secure virtual contact" with the CIA. The post said it was targeting "those who feel compelled by the Russian Government's unjust war."

The post teaches Russians how to access the Tor browser to "guarantee the highest level of safety." Tor is an anonymous web browser that provides access to the Dark Web, or websites not indexed by search engines like Google.

The CIA's post said that, to get Tor, would-be informants shouldn't use their personal or work computer and should instead use an internet connection or computer not associated with their identity. The post added that they should also make sure their browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari are updated and in private browsing mode — such as the Chrome browser's "Incognito Mode."

As an alternative to Tor, the CIA said it was "imperative" that Russians use a VPN if they wanted to get in touch with the agency.

"Do not use a VPN whose provider is based in Russia, China, or any other countries that are considered unfriendly to the United States," it warned. The agency also recommended using a paid VPN over a free service.

Russian demand for VPNs has skyrocketed since the Kremlin started blocking social-media networks and news sites in March. The analysis site AppFigures estimated that daily downloads for the 10 most popular VPN apps on the Google and Apple app stores increased by at least 4,275% in roughly the first week of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The CIA's Instagram post also provided a link to a dedicated channel to the agency asking informants to send their full name, job description, and the kind of information in their possession.

"We urge you to take all the proper precautions to keep yourself safe," the post said. "Your safety is of first priority."

The Washington Post cited an unnamed CIA official as saying that more Russians had tried reaching out to the agency since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

"Concerned Russians are trying to engage CIA, and we wanted to provide a way to safely contact us," the official said, per The Post.