General Russian foreign entanglements thread

[T.Lex]

New reports that UK police have seized the car of the friend of Yulia's (Ross Cassidy is his name - which sounds like a sitcom character) who picked her up from the airport.

Oh, and Russia wants an apology from the UK.

I don't think that will be forthcoming.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Ah, the Lestrade-esque investigators in London, clearly following the lead of their Russian counterparts, have announced a murder inquiry into the death of Glushkov. It is being reported that he died from "compression to the neck." A garrote or throttling would be VERY old school, indeed.

Murder inquiry over Russian's London death - BBC News

If they really wanted to send a message, they would have used an Ice Axe.

I laid my raincoat on the table in such a way as to be able to remove the ice axe which was in the pocket. I decided not to miss the wonderful opportunity that presented itself. The moment Trotsky began reading the article, he gave me my chance; I took out the ice axe from the raincoat, gripped it in my hand and, with my eyes closed, dealt him a terrible blow on the head.[SUP][131][/SUP]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Trotsky#Assassination

 

[Fargo]

Its amazing the things people are willing to dismiss or create out of thin air, when even the smell of Russia waffles by the president's dacha.

IMO it is a 2 way street. Both sides are happy to strain credulity when it comes to this subject if it furthers their goals. I have so little respect for either side of the media argument that it amazes me how they continue to disappoint.

 

[BugI02]

Its amazing the things people are willing to dismiss or create out of thin air, when even the smell of Russia waffles by the president's dacha.

Lol. Which President?

 

[T.Lex]

Boris Johnson responds to some very direct questions from a German periodical.

Boris Johnson: Russia?s position in Skripal case is ?increasingly bizarre? | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 20.03.2018

It is very direct. But this line has a certain historic resonance.

I think it's very important first of all to show that we think the culprits for this are not the Russian people, not Russia. We have no quarrel with Russia. These are issues with the Kremlin and with the Russian state as it currently is.

[FONT=&quot]America is a friend to the people of Iraq. Our demands are directed only at the regime that enslaves them and threatens us.[/FONT]

Shades within my recollection echo the same sentiment in the buildup to other 20th century engagements.

 

[T.Lex]

The... uh... "loyal opposition" isn't buying the official narrative.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/58535...a-may-of-not-producing-scintilla-of-evidence/

“Russia must be near the bottom of the list of suspects. Rationally, logically.”

 

[T.Lex]

Putin's gotta Putin.

“As for the tragedy that you mentioned, I found out about it from the media. The first thing that entered my head was that if it had been a military-grade nerve agent, the people would have died on the spot,” said Putin.


“Secondly, Russia does not have such [nerve] agents. We destroyed all our chemical weapons under the supervision of international organisations and we did it first, unlike some of our partners who promised to do it, but unfortunately did not keep their promises.”


Despite the tensions, Putin said Moscow was ready to cooperate with London: “We are ready to cooperate, we said that straight away. We are ready to take part in the necessary investigations, but for that there needs be a desire from the other side and we don’t see that yet. But we are not taking it off the agenda, joint efforts are possible.”


“I think any sensible person would understand that it would be rubbish, drivel, nonsense, for Russia to embark on such an escapade on the eve of a presidential election.”

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

“As for the tragedy that you mentioned, I found out about it from the media. The first thing that entered my head was that if it had been a military-grade nerve agent, the people would have died on the spot,” said Putin.

Perhaps it was not "Military Grade" but a local batch, whipped up by a loyal former KGB chemist, and slipped into Great Briton in a Diplomatic pouch. Does not have to be pure grade stuff. The Iranians published the formulas, after they started researching this new line of agents. Even an impure batch would cause horrific long-term physiological damage to the recipients.

The message from Putin is clear, be loyal to the State, or the State will make an example of you. No matter how long it takes. Russia politics is organized and run like the Mafia. Blaspheme the State, and they will never forgive, and they will never forget.

 

[T.Lex]

Yeah, and the whole "they'd be dead already" is kinda a humble-brag. I mean, it says, "Our means and personnel are so great that if we really wanted to, we would've killed them."

Given the vagaries of dosing, it could still be "military grade" and non-lethal. Well, not immediately lethal.

 

[T.Lex]

https://sputniknews.com/russia/201803211062757577-russia-skripal-poisoning-meeting/

Aside from calling Boris Johnson unprofessional (which is probably true), the Russian gov't is revealing its own suspicions about the Skripal matter. False dichotomies abound!

According to Vladimir Ermakov, head of the non-proliferation and arms control department at the Russian Defense Ministry, "either the British authorities are unable to protect from a terrorist attack on their territory or staged the attack themselves."
"Russia owes nothing and can bear no responsibility for the actions or lack of actions on British soil," Ermakov added.

On the US side, Radio Free Europe has its own take.
https://www.rferl.org/a/timeline-de...ssia-changing-stories-poisoning/29113561.html

Since the poisoning of the Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter on March 4 in England, Russian officials have been consistent about one thing: Moscow didn't do it.
Otherwise, they have offered a hodgepodge of theories, evasions, and refutations to parry British accusations that a Soviet-era nerve agent was likely used to poison Skripal and his daughter.

 

[T.Lex]

Theresa May warns EU of 'pattern of Russian aggression' - BBC News

Theresa May almost appears to be trying to build a coalition of the willing.

Theresa May said she would tell her fellow EU leaders that "the Russia threat" did not respect borders, as she arrived for a summit in Brussels.
The UK PM said the nerve agent attack in Salisbury was "part of a pattern of Russian aggression against Europe".

 

[T.Lex]

Reporting confirms that the police officer treated earlier has been released to go home.

But, now a second officer is being treated on an outpatient basis for exposure to ... presumably the same thing. I'm not sure that's actually been confirmed, though.

 

[BugI02]

Theresa May warns EU of 'pattern of Russian aggression' - BBC News

Theresa May almost appears to be trying to build a coalition of the willing.

Right idea, wrong leader - but perhaps there is more to her than is apparent. We'll see, great men and women rise to the occasion at need

 

[T.Lex]

Right idea, wrong leader - but perhaps there is more to her than is apparent. We'll see, great men and women rise to the occasion at need

Yeah, I'm not sure what to make of her yet. She's no Maggie. (And Trump's no Ronald.)

She's certainly treating the Skripal matter with seriousness. I hope she's right about it, for her sake. If it turns out not to be Russia - like, REALLY not Russia, not just not-provably-Russia - then she'll go down in history as Chamberlain-esque.

 

[T.Lex]

EU leaders back Theresa May, blame Russia for Sergei Skripal poisoning - Business Insider

Looks like the EU is backing Britain. Even after Brexit. Perhaps the consensus is that an external bogeyman would be domestically helpful.

In a joint summit statement, the leaders said the EU "agrees with the United Kingdom government's assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation".

Also sounds like the Skripals are being kept alive, with little to no meaningful communication.
Yulia Skripal ?briefly wakes up? as medics fear she and ex-spy father may suffer brain damage | Metro News

 

[T.Lex]

Change of pace - Russian cyber attacks into the US.

https://www.npr.org/2018/03/23/5960...hat-will-the-trump-administration-do-about-it

"They were not simply looking around that system and reconnoitering it," Joel Brenner, head of counterintelligence under the Director of National Intelligence in the Obama administration, told NPR. "They were placing the tools that they would have to place in order to turn off the power. That's a serious vulnerability for us, and we're not anywhere near ready to deal with it."

...

"Nobody wants a war," he said, adding the hostilities taking place now "are in the gray space between war and peace."

 

[SheepDog4Life]

Its amazing the things people are willing to dismiss or create out of thin air, when even the smell of Russia waffles by the president's dacha.

Yes, as a Putin stooge and crony, Trump welcomed Russia into Syria and was spineless against Russian aggression into the Ukraine. Didn't do anything about Russia until the last month of his presidency, and that was just to poison the well for the incoming, opposition administration.

Unlike Obama who retaliated against the Syrian/Russian airbase that launched chemical attacks against civilians, killed hundreds of Russian mercenaries and sent anti-tank missiles to the Ukrainians.

Oh, wait...

But, to be serious, it's called the carrot and the stick. Whack'em with the stick and then offer the carrot. Rinse and repeat.

No "reset button" necessary.

 

[T.Lex]

Russian ambassadors 'summoned by EU neighbours' - BBC News

Looks like EUian states are calling in their respective ambassadors from Russia for a stern talking to. Perhaps followed by some expulsions and double secret probation.

 

[T.Lex]

Reports that the US is expelling 60 (!) Russian diplomats. That's a bunch.

Speaking of 4D chess, it is amazing that Trump arranged for the USMNT to not qualify for the World Cup, which then avoids the awkwardness of having them boycott. Dude truly knows what he's doing.

 

[T.Lex]

Linkification:
Spy poisoning: Russian diplomats expelled across US and Europe - BBC News

Various countries announced they were making the same move in solidarity on Monday. These are:

• US: 60 diplomats
• Ukraine: 13
• Poland: 4
• France: 4
• Germany: 4
• Canada: 4
• Czech Republic: 3
• Lithuania: 3
• Netherlands: 2
• Italy: 2
• Denmark: 2
• Estonia: 1
• Latvia: 1
• Croatia: 1
• Finland: 1
• Romania: 1

Interesting to me are the former Soviet states and Warsaw Pact countries. This is a real line in the sand for them.