He could be acting in the best interests of the FSB, with friends slightly pushed by the FSB, and still think he's working alone.
Not all spies know they are spies. Not all assets are 100% willing assets who signed on a piece of paper "I am aiding and abetting the Russians." Some of the best assets that have ever existed in intelligence thought they were working on their own and were working in their own interests.. those interests just happened to line up with the controller's interests too.
He could be acting in the best interests of the FSB, with friends slightly pushed by the FSB, and still think he's working alone.
Not all spies know they are spies. Not all assets are 100% willing assets who signed on a piece of paper "I am aiding and abetting the Russians." Some of the best assets that have ever existed in intelligence thought they were working on their own and were working in their own interests.. those interests just happened to line up with the controller's interests too.