R
Ridgerunner
Guest
Probably every Russian national in and around DC or any other important place is a “Russian spy” in some manner or other. Some would be all day, every day, trained spies. Some would be people with other functions who nevertheless report to Putin regularly. Some would be Russians who have totally other reasons to be here but could be called in at any time by the FSB to do this or report on that.
I’m sure if you’re a Russian, you don’t refuse to do the Kremlin’s bidding. And I don’t much doubt that the whole Russian “political structure” is simply a renamed “KGB structure” with the same participants. And I don’t for a minute doubt it (and all Russians abroad) are managed to one degree or another by some very clever people, headed by the most clever of all; Vladimir Putin.
So I doubt most Russians in this country are “pure” spies and agents, but I expect all of them are to one degree or another, whether they want to be or not.
And for that matter, one can and should be suspicious of Ukrainians of consequence. Ukraine spent hundreds of years as part of Russia. After the separation of Ukraine there were no “Nuremberg trials” of former collaborators with the Soviet Union. Undoubtedly some Ukrainians are totally loyal to Ukraine. Some are undoubtedly Russian agents too. Some are probably an uncertain mixture of both.
And so, when we think about Velesnitskaya or the FSB/CrowdStrike/Ukrainian connection, I think we can be fairly certain the “KBG” hand is in there in some way and to some degree. And I doubt there are very many people of importance in DC or in the NYC business world who do not have some kind of “Russia connection” or other, particularly in government, banking and finance. Some are undoubtedly just tangential (which is what I suspect the Trump Jr one is). Some are tawdry and despicable but not necessarily illegal. (Fusion, CrowdStrike, Podesta). Some are probably illegal but not quite treasonous (Clinton Foundation possibly). And some probably are both treasonous and illegal. (???)
I’m sure if you’re a Russian, you don’t refuse to do the Kremlin’s bidding. And I don’t much doubt that the whole Russian “political structure” is simply a renamed “KGB structure” with the same participants. And I don’t for a minute doubt it (and all Russians abroad) are managed to one degree or another by some very clever people, headed by the most clever of all; Vladimir Putin.
So I doubt most Russians in this country are “pure” spies and agents, but I expect all of them are to one degree or another, whether they want to be or not.
And for that matter, one can and should be suspicious of Ukrainians of consequence. Ukraine spent hundreds of years as part of Russia. After the separation of Ukraine there were no “Nuremberg trials” of former collaborators with the Soviet Union. Undoubtedly some Ukrainians are totally loyal to Ukraine. Some are undoubtedly Russian agents too. Some are probably an uncertain mixture of both.
And so, when we think about Velesnitskaya or the FSB/CrowdStrike/Ukrainian connection, I think we can be fairly certain the “KBG” hand is in there in some way and to some degree. And I doubt there are very many people of importance in DC or in the NYC business world who do not have some kind of “Russia connection” or other, particularly in government, banking and finance. Some are undoubtedly just tangential (which is what I suspect the Trump Jr one is). Some are tawdry and despicable but not necessarily illegal. (Fusion, CrowdStrike, Podesta). Some are probably illegal but not quite treasonous (Clinton Foundation possibly). And some probably are both treasonous and illegal. (???)