Intelligence officers often use the MICE framework—Money, Ideology, Coercion, and Ego—to identify targets. For someone like Anastasia Berezovska, financial desperation is a common hook. A sudden influx of cash solves immediate crises, making the risk of a sabotage mission seem like a fair trade.
Social isolation plays a larger role than people realize. In wealthy hubs like Monaco, an outsider without a local support network is vulnerable. Handlers create a fake sense of belonging, positioning themselves as the only people who truly understand or value the asset. This emotional dependency ensures loyalty without the need for formal training.
Some recruits respond to "ego-stroking." Agencies convince a civilian that they possess a unique skill or a moral duty that others lack. If the handler ties this to a specific grievance, the recruit views the sabotage as an act of justice. Finally, there is coercion. Hard evidence of a crime or a personal secret turns a voluntary asset into a forced one. Once the first illegal act occurs, the agency holds that evidence over their head, trapping them in a cycle of compliance.
