Falsification with Skripals is not proof of the existence any elite-poor group of super-saboteurs.
But some photos are. It is a pity there is no significant proof of the photos.
We know from statements and CCTV that the Skripals left their house in the cul-de-sac at 9.15 on the Sunday morning. There has never been any mention of them coming back, until now and the Police have or cannot provide any CCTV of them driving back past the garage etc although they were caught by three separate cameras when they left home.
If the Police knew they had come back why did we have all the stupid stories about the deadly nerve agent being sprayed on them in the park or on the pizza? Why did the police not ask about them coming back? Why have the police never mentioned in any timelines before that they returned home?
Theresa May is correct to said, "the lies and blatant fabrications are an insult to the public's intelligence."
4
What a fine collection of paranoia you have here... Sorry to disappoint you, but Russia is a poor country, trying to stay somewhat independent between aging warmongering US and China that tries to stop being a factory belonging to US. All those stories about Russian GRU electing US presidents and planning unimaginably stupid assassination attempts... Do you really believe it? Well... There is a Russian proverb for that. Main thing in a criminal investigation is not to let the clues lead you to yourself.
13
@Anton Yakovlev
Sorry, but your president and his accomplices are robbing you and your country blind. Putin is reputed to be the richest man in the world.
Did you ever wonder why, despite Russia's great wealth, so many people are so poor? The corruption in Moscow is astounding.
23
Russia must also have a proverb about its historic inability to own up to its own thuggery and brutality. As such, let's not forget poor little, beleaguered, picked on, peace loving Russia occupying Abkhazia and South Ossetia, invading and annexing Crimea, continuing to conduct a murderous insurgency in eastern Ukraine, continuously attempting to destabilize the Baltic States, and even slaughtering its own citizens in Chechnya. At least if Ukraine had been allowed to join NATO, Russia wouldn't have dared execute its illegal gambits in Ukraine.
20
@Lew Fournier Oh man. Old news. Social disparity and corruption is unfortunately typical in poor countries. Russia's great wealth? Wealth of what kind? Oil, gas and aluminum? :) That's nothing in modern world high-tech economy. But Putin's oligarchy robs us not nearly as blind as Yeltsin's.
5
Fake news! As the President would say: it was probably a 400-lbs Australian of Ukrainian descent that attempted the coup in Montenegro. Then he stopped in Ukraine to hide the DNC server. Then flew to England to kill the double agent. Then flew to Virginia to get a paycheck from the CIA. Boom!
9
why is it Fake News?
1
How clever we were when communism fell in the Soviet Union, to instead of welcoming Russia into the European Union, expanding NATO right to Russia’s borders.
No history there that Russia need worry of. Those 25 million dead in WWII (talk about a holocaust!), almost just a rounding error.
Now a paranoid Russia, invaded by European nations to horrifying consequence, followed by decades of global opposition and disregard of its legitimate security concerns, followed by, as Russia went through cataclysmic internal upheaval, the expansion of NATO to its doorstep, is merely taking the actions we forced it to take to protect itself.
Root causes of “problematic” Russian behavior?
Decades of our ignorant abusive policies.
16
@AJ You are repeating Russian revisionist history propaganda. NATO didn’t aggressively force its expansion to Russia’s doorstep.
In the 1990s and 2000s, NATO was INVITED by each of the former Warsaw Pact European states and by newly independent sovereign former Soviet states to protect them from what they feared would be an aggressive resurgent revanchist imperial Russia. For excellent reason as we can see today.
This issue is boiled down to a very simple issue: do you believe that each of Russia’s independent neighbors have the sovereign right to choose their own domestic policies and foreign alliances? Or do you believe Russia has a special right to a sphere of hegemonic influence over its neighbors? This is exactly the reason Russia invaded Georgia in the early 1990s and 2008, why it invaded Ukraine in 2014. It wants client states not friendly relations with independent neighbors.
This results not just from the tragic history of WWII, much of which befell the Soviet Union as a result of Stalin’s misplaced faith in Hitler from the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and his own murderous purge of the Soviet officer corps. But more from a imperial reflex impulse to force others to submit in zero sum game fashion that can only be demanded by the last gasp vestige of a 19th century style great land empire power.
The main problem is that Russia is so large and so rich in mineral resources that it can only be held together by force.
24
@AJ
Don't even know where to begin with this massive piece of apologia. ot sure whether this is misguided American leftist dreaming or someone on the Russian payroll. "Invaded by European nations to horrifying consequence"? Are you referring to WWII, or something else? If WWII, Russia was hardly the only war zone. Those millions who died - and yes, it was horrific - were joined by those who died by Stalin's hand. I can assure you that Russia's neighbors have more nuanced and realistic views of their neighbor.
18
@AJ Nice to see an intelligent comment with a different historical perspective on this topic instead of the usual breathless hand-flailing about Boris and Natasha.
Our current internal miseries (i.e. Trump) have very little to do with Russia, but a lot to do with ourselves. It would be nice to blame it all on Putin though, wouldn't it?
6
I wonder where this story came from. A leak from some western intelligence agency to push back against a president and attorney general who is actively trying to undermine the Mueller and intelligence community report? I can't wait to see our president's reaction to this "leak."
35
@Jim
It came from the recent arrest of one of these people who murdered someone in Berlin in September. They caught the guy immediately but aren't sure who he is.
16
@Jim
Barr has some shady doings to cover up
5
The Russian government is doing what it can to counter the on-going neo-conservative assault on Russia as country. Targeted assassinations or attempts thereto are not something I approve of to say the least, but that is the means that the Russian government is using as a "counter-offensive". When someone is killed, the means is irrelevant. Thus the support, passive or active, from the USA government now and in the past, to destroy countries in the Middle East/Central Asia or elsewhere, leaves vastly more dead than any targeted assassinations by the Russian government. Dead is dead.
Mr. Trump is a life-long criminal. He has continued his criminal ways as USA president. His attempts to have sanctions removed on Russia and on selected Russians are correct in the abstract. The problem of course is that Mr. Trump's advocacy derives from a mixture of so-called kompromat as described in the so-called Steele Dossier that the Russian government has on him, not to mention decades worth of money laundering for Russian criminal oligarchs and who knows what other personal/business matters impinging always on Mr. Trump.
The Russian government had to annex Crimea when the USA and the EU/NATO promoted the overthrow of Yanukovich. Furthermore, the military assault by the coupists on eastern Ukrainians forced the Russian government to assist the easterns.
11
@Wendell Murray , thank you for the recent history of Russia being forced to invade neighbors. Not since 1939 I have heard such eloquent rhetoric explaining the need to invade a neighbor. Perhaps your case would be made if you could explain EXACTLY HOW neo-conservatism is "assaulting Russia?
As a frequent visitor to Russia (my wife is ethnically Russian), I would describe Putin as representing neo-conservatism within the Russian politic. He argues that it is the liberal West and their concern for LGBT and other human rights that are assaulting Russia. Perhaps you can explain how you believe the West is doing the opposite?
14
@Wendell Murray
There is no neo-con assault on Russia. That's nothing but RT propaganda.
6
@DoctorRPP For one thing, there is no "invasion". The propaganda from much the USA government, executive branch and Congress, and from the chattering classes in the media, is unrelenting on the topic of Ukraine, the coup in Ukraine and the Russian government's response.
The issue, by the way, is not Mr Putin or his government. Mr Putin, from my perspective, has by more than a decade overstayed any role in Russian government that might be positive for the Russian population. No question that he has done everything possible to keep himself in power. Whether he has enriched himself of not, I do not know. I suspect that it is very likely, but I consider the matter otherwise irrelevant to anything.
Western governments, not to mention private individuals and entities, have more than happily done everything imaginable to facilitate the expropriation and export of assets that belong to successor states, aka people, in the trillions of euros or US dollars, by the oligarchic thieve. Mr Putin's purported self-enrichment ancillary to that. Wrong, but so it goes. Mr Putin, as I understand it from those with expertise, has done a poor job as steward of Russia's vast resources that otherwise could turn Russia economically into some variant of the USA's upper Midwest. I usually use Minnesota as an example of what either Ukraine or Russia could be, if well governed.
"Very Interesting" as the guy on 'Laugh-in', used to say. Except it really isn't. Any "woke" knows we did virtually the same thing, except in other areas; not europe. The middle east, the carribean, and the mother of them all, Vietnam.
10
@Easy Goer
Wow, I guess we should just lay back and take it then. I miss the good old days when we at least attempted to have higher standards. Of course we can point to things we have done wrong, but let's all try to do better. I don't want to just shrug my shoulders and say that everyone does it.
16
@Easy Goer So I assume you support Putin's attempts to sow discord in Europe? Why should his expansionist efforts be applauded, rather than rejected as a threat to Western democracy? Should we be concerned in creeping authoritarianism in places like Poland and Hungary, or should we simply wave that off as normal politics?
14
@Easy Goer , thank you for offering us all the textbook example of Putin's end goal. They are running these amateur spy efforts (most of which have failed and nearly all uncovered) not because they think these efforts will sap our capabilities, but rather, they want us (and their domestic Russian public) to think that the whole world is corrupt so we have no reason not to choose immoral practices. There is no reason to care.
The fact is that the West no longer follows a Cold War script in terms of trying to win over an enemy ideology at any cost. Look at the now democratic country of Iraq. Who is the most influential oil and commercial firms operating there? They are Russian and Chinese (not to mention Iranian). This is even more true in Afghanistan where no major US natural resource company operates while the Chinese and to a lesser degree the Russians control the major mines and oil developments.
Yes, the US is using drones to kill those who from foreign soil are trying to kill US civilians in terrorist attacks but how does that compare to killing your domestic political opponents?? Yes, the real world is a tough place, but if you cannot see the difference between US and Russian foreign policy, than frankly, you are Putin's allies (whether intended or not).
19
Russia's role is destabilization of democracy as is locally evident in the support that it gave to the Trump 2016 election. He has led many in our country to distrust the press, to distrust our intelligence and crime detection capabilities and to create ongoing crisis. Russia is seeing its goals met in a psychologically unfit American president.
5
Its clear from the timing that Russia's decision to provide military support for Assad was primarily motivated by a desire to flood Europe with refugees and to thereby destabilize Europe. They want to keep Syria unstable - not unstable enough to completely collapse, but unstable enough to help get xenophobic right-wing anti-EU parties elected everywhere.
5
"with his brand of so-called hybrid warfare — a blend of propaganda, hacking attacks and disinformation — as well as open military confrontation."
And data gathering, and pushing opponents out windows and murdered - hung - celebrities who have openly criticized Putin on broadcast media, ie, Televison.
No conspiracies here.
My opinion is that the Russians under Putin, whatever that government might be, are creating nothing but Chaos, for no explicit purpose other than to destroy.
And that is what people have to grasp. They are our enemies. Putin is a huge enemy and our President played paddicake with him, instead of being absolutely stern and emphatic about the US's needs for non interference in our elections.
4
Successful intelligence and subversive operations rarely see the light of day. The GRU ops in this article all failed to some degree. It would be prudent to suspect there are successful ongoing destabilizing operations by the FSB and GRU in Europe and the US.
With the 2020 elections on the horizon, why has Trump sent William Barr on a mission to shift the responsibility for the 2016 interference from Russia to the Ukraine? Is it to justify Trump and Barr directing the US intelligence community to ignore the present Russian subversive activity?
Is Trump a witting FSB asset? Is he unwitting, but manipulated by Putin to obscure nefarious Russian activity? The former acting FBI Director, McCabe, was onto something when he opened an investigation on Trump, an investigation now squashed while McCabe is himself being investigated by Barr's Justice Department.
7
A lot of dark forces are at work these days. The consequences look good for consolidation of power and bad for everyone else. If governments cannot keep law and order and fall to anarchy and dictatorship, it will be a winner take all world. Combined with climate change that is reorganizing the world to fit its own absolute criteria, this is looking to be a chaotic time of upheaval. When wildfires,floods, storms , drought, heat and political upheaval take their toll I wonder what will be left and what lessons those left will have learned.
6
Why all this anti-russian propaganda?
3
Funded by Trump and company?
2
People need to remember Putin is a trained KGB operative. He is sneaky, underhanded and bares watching at all times. 45 is in love with the power Putin has in Russia. Obviously 45 desires that power. Hope the strength of our country overrides those siding with 45 and by that siding with Putin.
9
These guys specialize in creating or cultivating "black swans" (an unpredictable event, typically one with extreme consequences).
I'm beginning to think that the ascent of Trump was just such a freak event, magnified by Russian side efforts and the absolute predictable negative qualities of the dark side of politics which is driven by corporate interests.
8
The Russian oligarchy is excellent at psychological warfare & unfortunately this is where many humans especially US Americans are very vulnerable. Stewing in an already fierce but fake independence makes us think & act like we’re all separate even though we are all connected; division is an easy wound to salt especially when wanna be oligarchs and their media outlets help. Many countries educate their people to be aware of the danger of this manipulation but other powers that be like it when people can be manipulated. Hoping it’s not too late for the adults to learn some emotional intelligence but if it is let’s at least teach the children well.
6
interesting story, i have found in the meantime a second out of moscow property belonging to the unit, not far away from the dacha and the place of residance of its commander. who seems to drive nice cars usually while also collecting military memmerobilia.
2
Putin's origins go back to the Stasi secret police in East Germany. He was a Stasi officer. The Stasi were involved in all manner of diabolical operations that famously used psychological warfare against East German citizens who were identified as resistance, but the Stasi also undertook destabilizing operations in other countries.
It is relevant to consider what kinds of similar operations are conducted in western countries, including the United States, and what kinds of entities these activities target. No doubt Putin believes that the west does things that are just as bad or worse, so it is a tit-for-tat scenario. It seems to me that operations conducted by the west probably have limits on what is considered acceptable, whereas it seems that Putin does not.
In the US, the FBI can engage in all manner of controversial operations against US citizens as well as foreigners. Overseas, the CIA would take the lead. What kinds of secret groups are contained within the FBI and CIA, and who specifically do they target? There is no way to know.
1
Nothing new here.
Remember the Soviet Spetsnaz forces from the Cold War?
They were constantly pushing our buttons, sometimes with small escapades on Alaskan soil.
There is no way Europe can counter this threat without US protection. Even so, Europe would turn catastrophic.
Not that we are any different different. In Los Angeles, the gangs would be running things on the third day without electricity.
2
Shocker! Big countries seek to dominate whatever is within their reach — then cry foul when other big countries do the same. Such hyperventilation.
3
A secret Russian spy/surveillance/hit squad. Who would have thought?!
Snark intended since that Russia is doing this type of dirty subterfuge warfare, and has been up to it for decades, is so NOT surprising. What was revealing is how this unit is operating.
What would be more interesting is how many and how active are similar type operations being deployed from China, Israel, Turkey, the Koreas and other known nations in the hotspots of the world.
Oh, and let's not forget our own country - the USA.
This is one reason why we here in the US should be more fully and openly know what our massive secret security apparatus is up to. The amount of funding we are spending on the CIA, the NSA and various military covert ops has got to be mind boggling. And it is also antithetical to a free and democratic nation.
That these types of behavior are going in a repressive, near fascist kleptocracy like Russia is to be expected. It's scarier to not know what our own country is doing on the same front.
4
Four decades ago I attended a wedding party in Chicago. My brother-in-law, a graduate of the Univ of Chicago and fluent in Mandarin, was in the 'State Dept.' in Taipei. He and his brother, a CEO of a midwestern firm, discussed the looming threat of Communism, though his brother was partial to the looming One-World Government of black U.N. helicopters. I, a college Marxist at the time, viewed my brother-in-law as one of the most intelligent men I knew. He assured me that unless the CIA crushed communism in Central America, Mexico would fall to global Communism.
Upon retirement, drunk, he admitted to me his membership in 'the Company' on the portico of his house on the hill in Northern Virginia.
No doubt Russia's paranoia and behavior mirrors ours in the 50s and 60s.
1
and how does the death of these people destabilize Europe ? Another manipulation .Europe attacks Russia every century, which is why it is so easily subject to Russophobia, even when it itself promoted NATO bases
3
Putin can try whatever he wants in his fight against the Western Liberal order.
He will fail to reach ultimate victory for the same reason the Soviet Union failed.
Russia has a midget sized economy, smaller than the economy of the Benelux, it's totally dependent on oil and gas exports, which will decline in the not so far future, and Putin has ambitions way beyond Russia's means.
Russians seem incapable of understanding that power is fueled by money and innovation, not by simple anger and hatred.
The Russians never stood a chance. They don't stand a chance now.
In the bigger scheme of things Putin is but a nuisance...
4
CIA and NSA do this all the time - no one bats an eye. Russia has similar structure of countering foreign intelligence - everyone loses their minds.
6
“This is a unit of the G.R.U. that has been active over the years across Europe,” said one European security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe classified intelligence matters. “It’s been a surprise that the Russians, the G.R.U., this unit, have felt free to go ahead and carry out this extreme malign activity in friendly countries. That’s been a shock.”
The only part that is indeed shocking here is the nativity of our European intelligence services. The Russians are not our friends and just a few weeks ago a man who fought the Russians in Chechnya was gunned down during daylight in the streets of Berlin by someone who seems to be a Russian operative. The perceived sloppiness in these acts seems to be way more by design than most people think. Effectively the Russians are sending a clear signal that if you mess with them you will be assassinated. And our incompetent intelligence services fail to protect the victims. Who is going to openly oppose Putin if this becomes the new reality? And thats exactly what they are aiming at.
We need to bolster our intelligence services. We need to make sure people who speak up are effectively protected by us. And we need to make sure that killing people on our soil has hard and immediate consequences.
Wake up Europe! This war has started without us acting on it almost a decade ago!
4
So which unit/department/section inside which country is responsible for Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, Ukraine and Venezuela? How come we know the exact designation of this Russian unit but not the one that’s responsible for the countries listed?
I am not one to believe in conspiracies but it is all very convenient we keep getting classified Top Secret level stuff leaked from Russia, China, North Korea that have political effects in the west but never leaked stuff from western intelligence agencies.
6
These former Warsaw Pact countries were not coerced to join NATO and the European Union. They ran as fast as they could to the west. Why? They know better than anyone else what Russia is capable of. They truly fear Russia. And they hate them to the core.
Russia has yet to learn how to get along with its neighbors. Its activities, as outlined in this article, show this. And it's really a shame too because Russia could have anything it wants if it only learned how to operate as a responsible world player. It could have a brilliant economy and be a true player on the world stage. But no, it chooses to act like an international bully. Its a shame too because the scarier Russia behaves the faster everyone runs to the west!
6
They have succeeded! Their agent Trump has delivered the goods for them. R.I.P. European Unity, R.I.P. the American Democracy, R.I.P. The Western Alliance.
6
We do not know and may never know whether the control of Donald Trump by Vladimir Putin is the money or blackmail or, most likely, a combination. A large part of the reason for the Mueller investigation and now the Congressional impeachment process is to learn more.
If the United States government went no farther in gathering information, we already have enough to mandate removal of Donald Trump from the White House and indictment of several of members of his administration.
We know that since Donald Trump became a presidential candidate and continuing up to the present, his foreign policy has consistently tried to advance the aggressive interests of Vladimir Putin and the Russians – including the group that stole the Crimea and is trying to steal the rest of Ukraine.
The motley crew of Russian assassins featured in this report by Michael Schwirtz is among those chosen by President Trump – again and again and again -- over the freedom and safety of the American people he swore to defend.
8
This is the play book Russia is using here in the U.S. Foment discontent, weaponize social divisions in a society, undermine legitimate authority. This is what our National Intelligence Services warned both political parties about leading unto the 2016 election. Both parties candidates were briefed and directed to not associate with the Russians, and to report contacts, or attempted contacts with the Russians. All of this is uncontested fact. Monday night Trump abandons the Kurds in Syria propping the door wide open for Turkey and the Russians to strengthen Assad's hold. Please, tell me what part of this is, "great and unmatched wisdom? Is it turning our collective backs to the authoritarians of the World and hiding behind a steel sculpture on the border? Something to rally around and wave flags about isn't it, we have surrendered to the authoritarians of the World, and have one of our very own now.
7
Thank you NYTimes for this information -- the Russian government and its leaders, in my opinion, are never to be trusted.
What is more frightening, to me, is the vast majority of Americans are probably not aware of Russian interference in the daily activities of western governments, economies, etc.
Our next President, hopefully not the current one, must put our national security at the top of his/her agenda. If not, Russian aggression will only worsen.
14
The solution is to enable our intelligence and military communities to stand up against Moscow Trump. A joint letter from the former Presidents is the only thing that might facilitate this.
5
@RjW
A joint letter from the Trump's predecessors who during their administrations were all a part of the same clutch of 'leaders' acting as stooges for global oligarchs rather than the people?!
We have a bride here in Brooklyn I want to sell you!
Many are right in the comments left, Russia is a country obsessed with external aggression. Imagine living 300 years and waiting for a war, how are you? What will happen to the character and mood of the population, the direction of the economy and resources, the country's production capacities and the vector of the development of the state, where even bottles of vodka pour have long been 76 mm in diameter for artillery guns. Can you imagine, if you leave Russia alone for 10 years, in which development vector will it be directed? How to change the variability and worldview of the inhabitants and rulers. In a word, the persecution must be completed, and the competitor defeated in martial arts.
4
Not to worry Trump sides with Putin and believes Putin always tells the truth. Feel better?
November 3 2020. If not thrown out before then he surely will be on that date. We need to take extra precautions between election day and inauguration day. We can't forget for a second Trump's insanity.
6
Almost every Republican fully endorsed Trump’s drumbeat against the Russian investigation labeling it a witch-hunt. Recently it was reported that the NRA introduced Russian operatives to prominent Republicans during the 2016 election cycle, even using the cloak of the National Prayer Breakfast in an attempt to shield their subterfuge. The Republicans much like the Kremlin, to quote this article, “..is at war with a Western liberal order that it sees as an existential threat.” It seems a matter of survival in the changing demographic of the United States that the Republicans would work with Putin to weaken American democracy in order to retain their diminishing influence and power.
10
Putin has nothing to lose by attacking every aspect of Western civilization that defeated the Soviet Union. Whether capitalism is good or bad has nothing to do with the fact that he is out for revenge. If we think Trump is bad take a good hard look at Putin.
3
Why am I not surprised?!? That terrifies me about the current potus and the global state of affairs. I’m in my mid-60s and never imagined the not-so-great USA that our nation has become in just 3 years.
9
The reference to 29155 is probably when the new section met, for example, 29 January 1955, when they developed their program two years after the, 'Materialism and Empirio-criticism’, Moscow, 1953, according to an author, Kazhinsky. However, the C.I.A. probably already knew, or should've known about this program. It is just a thought for this commentary.
5
These are probably the same GRU units orchestrating most of our worst mass shootings and domestic terrorism. I've counted 16 mass shootings that have occurred same day, next day, during times of high tension in U.S. Kremlin relations, i.e. sanctions, treaty disputes, proxy wars etc. Trump's boss is a "real nice guy," with microwave energy hypnosis technology, capable of affecting brain functioning, emotions, and implanting thoughts...
2
Scary. But so reassuring to know that someone of “great and unmatched wisdom,” to quote Trump’s simultaneously inevitable yet jaw-dropping self-description, is on top of the situation.
Please indulge my sarcasm. Now, in complete sincerity, let me add: I’ll sleep easier when he’s out of office.
7
It is time to resurrect the Iron Curtain. But this time it will be to keep Russia in. We need to build a wall that doesn't allow them out. And that includes the internet as well. They clearly should not be part of the rest of society. They are a pariah that needs to be boxed in.
4
Unfortunately, the Russians haven't given up their Soviet ways. It's an ongoing war against what Reagan correctly described as the Evil Empire and us, an imperfect collection of democracies in the West. Do we have the strength to remain steadfast and fight back? I hope so. But it's that much harder when our POTUS is a Russian sympathizer, if not collaborator.
5
It’s here, too.
Expect it to assist Trump should he decide to eliminate his impeachment problem by eliminating Democrats who would impeach him.
4
This has been obvious for some time. Back just after Trump was inaugurated, I noted how Trump was trying to destroy the four main pillars of democracy: intelligent voters, free press, fair elections, and that the rule of law and law enforcement does not become a partisan tool for those in power to persecute political rivals. https://realcontextnews.com/welcome-to-the-era-of-rising-democratic-fascism-part-i-defining-democracy-fascism-and-democratic-fascism-usefully-and-spin-vs-lies/ 1st three are weakened, last is Trump's main target. That's why Putin wanted him in the White House (putting aside the issue of collusion), he knew he'd do tons of damage to American democracy, America's democratic alliances (especially NATO), and Western democracy itself. It's been obvious for years that Russia has been trying to undermine, corrupt, even break apart, invade, and promote coups in, Western states and destroy the EU and NATO... From Montenegro to the UK to Catalonia to Italy to Ukraine to Germany, this is OBVIOUS. So nothing in this report is surprising. What is surprising is that the EU & NATO don't have a massive response to Putin. We keep losing trying to play this game as if hybrid warfare isn't warfare. We're losing, plain and simple, and Western democracy itself is at stake.
Badly. https://realcontextnews.com/welcome-to-the-era-of-rising-democratic-fascism-part-ii-trump-the-global-movement-putins-war-on-the-west-and-a-choice-for-liberals/
4
Given his actions over the past 48 hours, I'm going out on a limb to say Trump and his cabal are doing a great job further destroying our government, sovereignty, society, alliances, leadership, and national security by themselves.
4
Natural resources aside, why Russia isn’t treated as a pariah state is beyond me. Their actions in the last decade are basically acts of war. They had their chance after the collapse of communism to join the free world—the West—but declined.
4
There was a time when the U.S. fought this kind of thing.
3
We are reaching a point where we might have to consider decapitating Russia’s Special Services to prevent them from the tragic mischief that they are sowing around the globe. They will deserve whatever comes their way.
2
It doesn’t exactly enhance one’s confidence in our intelligence agencies capabilities to counter Putin’s lethal game when our witless and corrupt commander in chief is chasing conspiracy theories in the Ukraine and leaving out Syrian Kurdish allies left hung out to dry - all to the advantage of our sworn enemies.
3
And the US president is doing all he can to help Putin succeed with help from many Republicans.
5
I read these comments and a majority of them seem to be pointing to a lack of concern and playing this off as nothing. Call me a conspiracy theorist but these days I'm pretty darn suspicious of people in the comment section. Either alot of foolish people or dingleberries from the motherland are present.... either way I definitely do not trust Russia, nor China , nor Iran. the next decade hopefully will not be that interesting but I'm thinking that might be as fake as some of these comments.
5
Thank goodness Trump only admires Putin, but - really - is nothing like him. Heed my word: Trump's a warning USA.
2
All this and Trump wants to bring Russia back into the G-7. How is he not a Russian asset?
7
And if you don’t think Trump and Company aren’t rah rah rah all the way then you aren’t paying attention.
4
Wil somebody please tell Putin’s apparatus to quit acting out its historical PTSD on everyone else? We get it, that horrible governments have done horrible things around the globe; but passive-aggressive, destructive acts are not the way to get yourself healed, Putin. Could you put the clutch in, dig deep and actually reflect on a better way for yourself?..:
1
Shouldn’t be any more doubts that Trump is a traitor of the highest order. Now you know why Putin wanted Trump as President. Putin knows that Trump and the GOP will sell out the US in a second as long as Republicans can continue stealing the nation’s wealth and they need Putin to help steal the next election. Putin-Trump in 2020!
5
Someone should tell the President of the United States.
Never mind.
2
Where are Jack Ryan and James Bond when we really need them?
2
My parents and grandparents lived through the Nazi terror of the 20s-30s or witnessed it first hand. I missed the 40s-50s due to my young age, but many events were brought up negatively so you knew something was up. The rest is not pleasant. While this story is very important (and warrants a higher place in the newspaper) it does make me think about the history of our own terror. Not to excuse the Russians in any way: Gestapo, Stasi, KGB, MI5, (I sadly don't know the acronyms for the Japanese, Chinese, and French brands of spy's) HUAC, CIA, FBI, NSA, DOD, KGB redux, it has come from many places and governments/organizations. I once thought the Cold War was a more saner war.
Why does Russia need this unit when it has installed Trump, Johnson, and a few minor lapdogs?
4
This reminds me of when that movie was made to depose Kim Jong-un. The people who commented weren't the typical Nytimes reader. They all wanted to go to war to protect James Franco and Josh Hill NK's vengence. Think they were GRU? Or CIA?
Neither. I recommend we stay away from big ideas. It's the only way to get the country back on track. How did they ever get you to believe voting far left will be telling Russia where to get off.
what a shock.
The assassination story is bogus, ginned up by the same Brits who illegally imprison Assange for telling the truth. More Russia Paranoia, straight from the DNC.
1
Trump is one of the agents working against the west.
3
US policy is hampered by the fact that Trump idolizes Putin.
2
There is an extremely strong correlation between the dates of our worst mass shootings and dates of high tension in U.S. Kremlin relations. I have counted 16 mass shootings that have occurred on or shortly after sanctions, treaty disputes, proxy wars etc. I believe these units radicalize and hypnotize terrorists, and these mass shooters are GRU assets. The GRU has microwave energy hypnosis technology talked about on the CIA website and NY Times, capable of affecting brain functioning, emotions, and implanting thoughts. You do the math...
Putin's Suicide Squad
https://medium.com/@jtkratsa/putins-suicide-squad-the-modern-day-labyrinth-cf9abd545623
This is all very troubling. It was fairly obvious from the start. The news has to be more strategic in focusing the public. The diversion is the sideshow of Trump.
2
Europe's biggest destabilization worries did not come from the Russians it was Germany's Merkel who led the biggest destabilization of Europe since world war 2. By her allowing millions of migrants to enter Europe her actions led to brexit and the rise of the nationalist parties and terrorism. Stop worrying about external forces and look within.
17
@EAH
Exactly. She and David Cameron lit the fuse for the eventual destruction of the European Union.
2
And who was it that helped Assad to commit war crimes in Syria that forced millions of refugees into Europe.
15
Merkel’s compassionate gesture to the refuges did not lead to Brexit in any way.
4
Destabilize Europe? I'd say what the ECB had to do, along with the Western Progressive push to open EU borders -- that would've made Schengen look like barbed wire boundaries, is about as destabilizing as Europe will ever get without a another WW.
Russia was having a stabilizing and unifying effect on the young Euro area. As new as the EZ was, so was EU without the Cold War; easing the currency transitions, undoubtedly.
Now, abetted by more Western Progressive mythological principles ("The values of the NBA"? Please?), HK has the world on the precipice of another cold War.
2
it's just a general system of designating all units in the army.
It would be fascinating to know why these units need 5-digit designations when there can't be more than a handful of them -- otherwise they would be constantly tripping over each other.
3
@Pajama Sam I like the image of multiple Russian counterintelligence units "constantly tripping over each other" sounds like a situation for Maxwell Smart!
@Don Carleton I can just imagine them using the "Cone of Silence"!
It is hard to imagine that our vast and powerful intelligence agencies are not aware of the machinations of Russia's ongoing operations in this country. Volume One of the Mueller report outlined the findings of intelligence sources in meticulous details about how the Russians interfered in the 2016 election. What mystifies me is how those same super intelligence agencies who unraveled that tangled web have not yet determined what explains the relationship between Trump and Putin. Will revelations of the answer ever be made known to the American people? We can only hope that one day we will finally know. In the meantime we must trust that they are working nonstop on our behalf to safeguard our free and fair elections in 2020 and fight the cyber war against Russia in their efforts to destabilize our democracy. This president is clearly not interested in doing so.
26
Check out the last page of the dossier posted by WikiLeaks, which of course is long-sonce publicly available, and don't forget the federal government does the bidding of our elected leader -- under the leadership of his appointees -- not whatever "interesting thing(s)" may be of interest to domestic political disputes.
1
I really do think the world is on a precipice. Instability is spreading, and that always seems a pre-cursor to major conflict.
26
@Kevin
Exactly.
Agreed. A world war is in the offing.
My friend, as a student of history , I agree. You said it brilliantly. It’s very depressing seeing all this happen to this 34 year old.
1
Well, they certainly have a chump, if not an active participant in Washington. They won't need to send their best.
21
@otto Indeed. All this time, I thought Unit 29155 was a mailing address for the Trump Organization.
2
Paper ballots please.
40
I remember when the American media, Democrat party and liberal progressives went ballistic over the CIA directed overthrow of the Communist backed Allende of Chilly. I remember that it was the Democrat Party that passed the Borland Amendment to prevent President Regan from countering Russian Cuban aggression in central America. Nice to see the NYT finally recognizing Russian, Communist aggression.
4
So you think the U.S. should also undermine elected governments? Would that win us friends in condemning Russia?
1
If Putin strongly denied all of this ... would a stable genius president call it fake news? If so.. would that be called collusion.. a joke.. a favour.. or ... a Republican slogan?
13
Since about the 1930s Russia/Soviet Union has worked to destabilize the West through disinformation campaigns, often with the enthusiastic support from plenty of 'useful idiots' as Lenin put it. Individuals who had the courage to point to these widespread efforts were denounced as 'rabid' anti-communists or McCarthyists in such respected outlets as like say the New York Times.
8
The same sort of people who were McCarthyists (on the right) have found Russia as their new friend.
3
This is intelligence propaganda. Plain and simple.
4
If we didn't have a Russian mole in the White House, we'd help the Europeans, but with the 300 lb. TRAITOR in the oval office, Russia will be free to do whatever it wants.
29
Putin is not a traitor.
C'mon, everyone knows this is Fake News put out by the Deep State. If only Rudy could get his hands on that server in Ukraine!
6
"I'd rather be Russian than a Democrat".
- GOP Tshirts
18
Putin won't be happy until every democracy in the world is crushed. He has the billions and the brains to make it happen.
Trump is a fool and so are millions who believe in him or use him for their own greedy agendas!
22
Trump knows what he is doing. You just have to know his agenda.
1
oh..... oh really and you don't think the United Mistakes of America haven't ???? The american Imperialist war machine , CIA and all have been destabilising the entire world for ever . At least the last 50 or so years with creating coup's , sth america, Africa, middle east and the list goes on. You don't let the western media find out out about your covert operations and the alliances allow for media blackouts of any supposed operation in a fellow country. com'on guys seriously pot calling the kettle black . CIA interference in Australian politics is well known , 1 prime minister ( Harold Holt) was looking at US military spy bases here ,mysteriously disappearing, elections found to be monitored by FBI in Sydney, Disposing of another Prime Minister . We the West will never be allowed to shed light on these operations as they happen. so making the Russians the bogey men screams of hypocrisy . so remember when the press tells you about Russia , cnina and north Korea think of all the equal evil being done with absolute complicity by your own governments. You don't go out with girls from the American Embassy and learn nothing. Our Diplomats are all agents in undermining our democracies with diplomatic immunity. oh sorry not Joe Hockey Ambassador in US he's too dumb that's why we sent him there. Trump is exactly what the US doesn't need "a blabber mouth " . Intelligence services do not need to be uncovered and found wanting. yrs truly rusky spoi mikaloviche .
4
The reporter writes that "the Kremlin sees Russia as being at war with a Western liberal order that it views as an existential threat." It would appear then that the Kremlin had every incentive to help elect Donald Trump to the Presidency since he appears to fear the same Western liberal order as Putin. Hillary Clinton viewed Putin's Russia as a threat and would have gone out of her way to turn the screws on him. Putin must be so very happy with Trump and with so many Republican MOCs on his side.
16
So top secret it’s on the front page of the NYT...
3
Will we even see a tweet from trump about a concern by our security experts? And if we do, will it be in support of Putin who “strongly denies” any involvement.
Talk about a deep state . . .
13
Okay, Russia has clearly decided to wage a war of destabilization and disinformation against the West, plus an occasional assassination of its own officials. No surprise, really.
Guess who else is also waging a war of destabilization and disinformation within our own country? The Trump campaign, with the likes of the Steve Bannons and Stephen Millers, generous funding from some of Trump's big multi-billionaire donors and libertarians, cooperation from Fracebook, plenty of propaganda from right-wing media in the US, and the assorted malevolent activities of other Trump apparatchiks.
The goal is to divide our people and grab as much power as possible, even if it means becoming a full-fledged dictatorship.
It is a predatory and sinister campaign. A good example is the whole Cambridge Analytica mess. I knew it was devious and bad, but I didn't realize how sinister until I heard Terry Gross on NPR today. She interviewed Christopher Wylie, who worked for Cambridge Analytica, became a whistleblower, and wrote a book about his experiences.
https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/2019/10/08/768222377/fresh-air-for-oct-8-2019-cambridge-analytica-whistleblower-christopher-wylie?showDate=2019-10-08
It is one thing to have a foreign power trying to do in our country. It is another thing entirely when it is our own president, his team, aided and abetted by his political party is also manipulating, lying, destabilizing, and ignoring our Constitution and laws to gain & hold power.
20
Putin is doing this to what end?
Will it help with the overall health, welfare and prosperity of the average Russian citizen?
Will it reconstitute a broken Soviet system?
Why not focus on creating a better country for his own countrymen?
4
These are the same guys who worked hard to get Trump and Boris Johnson elected.
20
I wonder if Putin is going to hire Trump to head Rosneft after Trump is done with his "presidency". Putin did hire Schröder to head Gazprom so why not, I guess...
4
Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez says she's the boss now. So what's the problem?
If we keep giving them what they want they win.
Russia is also trying to destabilize the US.
5
@J2
Yes he is through donald trump.
3
And yet, Mitt Romney was mocked for answering that Russia was a great threat to the US. Did anyone really think that the old Soviet system would fold and die following the fall of the Berlin Wall?
8
If Romney had won in 2012, he would have had a stable successful presidency and certainly be re-elected in 2016. Trump would not now be president.
I made a horrible mistake voting for Obama, but how was I to know.
One Russian goal is for the USA to break up into several regional nations to effectively eliminate the USA as a competitor. Though the link is an old one, we can be sure it mirrors the intent of Putin and his effort to reestablish the USSR as world bully. We are under direct attack by dangerous non-conventional warfare.
https://www.the-american-catholic.com/2008/12/29/russian-professor-predicts-breakup-of-us-in-2010/
8
Actually it is to our advantage and to the planet that we be broken up into several nations. Though evil Putin is endeavoring to do this it should be considered on its own merits.
I have long held this view. I was under the impression that I was first to think of this.
We are already divided. We need a divorce.
We should have let the South secede.
1
As dangerous as Unit 29155, they also appear to be very incompetent and amateurish given how many botched missions they've done. They are almost as bad at the trump-deep-state circus of fools headed by Giuliani, Pompeo, Barr and many other characters who can't get their Ukrainian stories straight ... or hidden.
6
On the Likud party headquarters bldg is giant pictures of Netanyahu on one side of the building being chummy withTrump and the other side with Putin. Though Putin and the West May be on opposite sides - Bibi has both sides covered . The right and left , east and west , Western liberal democratic values and Authoritarianism. Reminds me of that ancient time described in the Bible when Israel was great power and stood between the Egyptian and Assyrian/ Babylonian empires - playing them off against each other until it was too late .
It was not too long ago that Seymour Hersh alleged that Israel turned over all the naval - targeting intelligence from its American spy Jonathan pollard to the Russians so they would allow sensitive Russian - Jewish citizen to emigrate to Israel.
6
The Cold War is back on. Trump's election was our Russian Pearl Harbor.
13
It appears to me that Russia and US are allies. There is a Cold War though...Republicans vs Democrats.
Putin and Trump are buddies because Trump is a successful Russian agent.
3
To remind ourselves of how “ruthless the Russians could be” at home and abroad, check out Joseph Conrad's "Under Western Eyes" and "The Secret Agent"!
5
The GRU have their collaborators across Europe:
Estonia, in defense forces’ headquarters - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-estonia-treason/estonia-says-it-arrests-two-on-suspicion-of-spying-for-russia-idUSKCN1LL2AG
Poland, infiltration of the government cabinet https://balkaninsight.com/2017/02/21/montenegro-coup-suspect-was-russian-spy-in-poland-02-21-2017/
Sweden, infiltration of technology manufacturing https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/11480390/A-third-of-Russian-diplomats-in-Sweden-are-spies-Swedish-intelligence-says.html
7
What’s the GRU. Abbreviations must be defined before they are used. HFSD!
So they have the same target as Steve Bannon and for that matter, Donald Trump.
3
Good lord, we really are in the midst of hysterical Russophobia. I happen to believe articles like this one by Michael Schwirtz are deliberately written to inflame the readers of the NYT. A quote from the article: “I think we had forgotten how organically ruthless the Russians could be,” said Peter Zwack, a retired military intelligence officer & former defense attaché at the US Embassy in Moscow, who said he was not aware of the unit’s existence.” I am tired of reading the opinions of US intelligence officers.
2
Perhaps President Trump is a Russian stooge. There can be no doubt that he is a actually a stooge.
12
Just what DOES Putin see as evidence of the supposed “existential threat” to his country? The existence of a beleaguered and feckless NATO? The technological revolution his country played no part in?
Or is it just the frustration he feels —after helping install a heartless thug in the White House — that American institutions have more integrity and resilience than he (another heartless thug) could ever have imagined? I think that’s what keeps Putin up at night.
2
maybe that's why Fearless Leader is out picking mushrooms on his birthday?!
1
So, same group murdering people in Europe helped the Trump campaign. Interesting
3
Let's review.
USSR collapsed in 1989, Russian intelligence than KGB lost its power, This went on and GRU regained its capacity slowly during the 1990's This is around the time Putin first time elected.
Once Putin elected, GRU reach again same KGB level of capacity. and increasingly become aggressive.
Meanwhile just at the same time 1999 and 1998 US hit by series of Al Qaeda bombs. All attentions shifted to much more primitive but cunning ( in fact CIA's own creation of 1980's Mujahedeen mutated Islamic radical terrorism) enemy, Islamic terrorist.
GRU was freely exercise their operations and 9/11 is entirely consumed CIA until mid 2010's.
When US more or less controlled Islamic terrorists , and sit back look at the situation, they faced GRU resurrected old KGB level intelligence organization.
CIA is now trying to adapt very primitive but ferocious and very sophisticated and aggressive enemies.
Reds are back baby.....
6
What’s GRU. Abbreviations must be defined. I learned this 40 years ago at the IDSA.
2
One of the most unfortunate outcomes of the collapse of the Soviet Union is that different cultural traditions and various pressures and policy errors in both the East and the West interceded to create intense rivalry out of what should have and perhaps could have been highly productive peaceful co-existence and cooperation between Russia and the NATO countries. While improbable under the current leadership arrangements in both the US and Russia, these countries need to work out a more progressive, productive and cooperative framework of coexistence going forward, based on a shared perception of the major challenges facing the future of the human race.
8
No doubt, the president has been briefed on this. Also no doubt, he'll question the assessment of his own intelligence agency and believe Putin's denials.
Hopefully, the military and intelligence communities, with support of congress, will take the necessary actions to counter this threat behind the president's back.
6
“But European security officials are also perplexed by the apparent sloppiness in the unit’s operations.”
They’re the expendable decoys, although they actually believe that they have been given important assignments. The Skripal poisoners were probably awarded medals because nobody reasonably thought those two would make it back without poisoning themselves.
6
Personally, I preferred Boris and Natasha.
8
Yet the Senate Rebulicans are going to hold a hearing with Giuliani as part of a conspiracy theory that the Ukraine aided Trump in 2016 instead of the Russians. Instead they should be aiding our allies to fight against Russian subterfuge.
The Republicans have given up on our country.
14
Poland's Nobel Laureate Czeslaw Milosz looked back at the collapse of a of western liberal power in the seventeenth century and the rise of Russia. 'In the former a climate of relaxation prevailed: habeas corpus, tumultuous sessions of parliament, corruption and traffic in votes, anarchist leanings... .Meanwhile, Russian diplomats looked on, stroking their beards ... later they found the use of pressure or money to buy off parties or individual deputies a simple matter. Their success was complete.' ('Native Realm')
Poland and Lithuania were powerless for centuries. Today the target is the whole of democratic Europe and the US - and exactly the same tactics are being used.
13
Believe Republicans and Trump have been played by either this unit or one similar.
I do believe Vladimir Putin has planted disinformation. That message is: ‘Hillary’s email contains information that will vindicate Republicans.’
As I believe this message has penetrated far-Right media, been picked up, and is the rallying cry for Republicans.
And I believe Trump is using the above message to illegally contact influential people in Ukraine and Italy to expose the message as truth.
And I think this information is _disinformation_ planted by Vladimir.
And I think our President and Republicans are making fools of themselves.
And I hope impeachment might be a remedy.
10
All of this Russian violence against Europe's sovereignty and yet European countries, Germany in particular, continue to buy large quantities of Russia's oil and and natural gas. Germany's 2018 purchases were its largest ever, exceeding the record years of 2017 and 2016.
Buying Russia's energy is how the EU punishes Putin for invading Ukraine, killing journalists and political opponents inside Russia and sending his thugs into the heart of the English countryside to kill more.
https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/germanys-dependence-imported-fossil-fuels
5
Good points all...I don’t see the concern reaching high level in western Europe. I’m pretty sure Europe won’t flinch unless it’ll cost them money.
1
Let’s never forget how many in Trump’s family and sphere, the GOP, Republicans, and conservstive organizations (like NRA) have a money trail and dealings leading straight to Russian oligarchs and are married to Eastern European and Russian women. And I bet there are countless more we have discovered yet.
Trump (and family)
Mitch McConnell
Justice Kennedy (his son)
Wm Barr
22
This is a textbook example of how the US media details the crimes of enemies and conveniently doesn't mention the disgusting history of our own CIA doing the exact same type of crimes. Why is it that the past crimes of our own government are kept secret from the public? Its wrong for Russia to be doing it and it was/is wrong when we do it as well. Read a book and get woke, Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner.
5
I’m waiting for Trump to tell us that Russia doesn’t have a military...
10
Consider this: Since he became president two decades ago, Putin could have marshaled Russia’s abundant resources - oil and natural gas, mineral wealth, manufacturing, agriculture and a well-educated population - to making it one of the richest nations on earth. Instead, he has wasted the country’s energy on tearing down the West in order to keep his corrupt, fascistic, kleptocratic mafia state in power. And he has used bullying and military aggression to keep Eastern Europe and Central Asia in Russia’s orbit because he knows naked aggression is the only means available to his country, which has virtually nothing that makes it attractive otherwise.
By all means, thwart Russia’s attempts to meddle in Wester affairs. But feel sorry for them too.
9
Well, this can't be true! Didn't Barack Obama mock Mitt Romney at the 2012 debate, after Romney said Russia was our greatest foreign threat with, "...the 1980's want their foreign policy back."
Sarcasm aside, how much trouble we could've avoided had Obama, the appeaser of Putin and Medvedev, been defeated in that election instead of Romney.
2
@CM
You aren't serious are you?
Obama the appeaser?
True, Obama tried a "reset" relations with Russia, but quickly realized that Putin could not be trusted and a reset was not possible.
Trump on the other hand, take's Putin's word that the Russians did not interfere in our elections, believed Putin over his own intelligence services that Kim was not testing missiles, believes it was Ukraine, not Russia, that hacked DNC servers, etc., etc.
Truly hard to believe that one's political beliefs can be so blinding to reality.
14
I wrote that because Romney would have been re-elected in 2016. And no Trump!
2
The reality is that Obama was an ineffectual grifter a corporatist in disguise. Romney was competent and brought universal medical care to Massachusetts. Obama failed in this regard. No public option. Romney much more qualified.
1
Trump is cutting off funding for the UN so that there is less constraint on international dictators like Putin.
11
One word: Brexit
By causing that one folly, Vald takes out all Europe. Good job!
8
The Dotard came probably thank Senator Ron Johnson for this one coming out so quickly. Nice job Ron! You’re a (im)peach!
5
Expect Trump to allow this to happen here. After all he loves Putin.
9
Isn't Trump their greatest achievement??
12
Russian intelligence gains influence in foreign countries by operating subtly and patiently. It exerts different gradations of leverage over different kinds of people, and uses a basic tool kit of blackmail that involves the exploitation of greed, stupidity, ego, and sexual appetite.
All of which are traits Trump has in abundance.
13
WOW this a surprise! NOT. Brexit, Trump the rise of xenophobic partys in Europe, etc, etc. Only the most profoundly ignorant believe this is all coincidence. Russians have always known that our diversity is our strength and our weakness.
7
Trumpo and the Republicans Best Buddies..
Seriously, Trump and the Republicans are party to this destabilization in the United States as well..
Republicans are Traitors to The United States of America..
13
Yes, Russia is the ultimate cause of absolutely everything evil and nefarious under the sun. Quick, get under your desks, children!
If you miss the Fifties, you may stop doing so, because now it's here again.
3
Meanwhile, the president and attorney general of the United States are doing everything they can to protect the Russian government by casting doubt on the conclusion our intelligence agencies made with regards to the Russian attack on our 2016 election.
Russia doesn't have to destabilize our country anymore - Trump, Barr and Congressional Republicans are doing it for them.
23
Yes. They are Russian agents.
5
At what point do Western governments say 'enough is enough'. China and Russian are not our friends. They actively seek to undermine our democracy and way of life. So why are we still trading with them? Cut them loose. We should stop providing the economic means for these countries to build their military capabilities.
7
Trump owes Putin for the US election interference that got Trump elected. Now Trump is forcing the Kurds to turn towards Russia. Trump is also working to get US sanctions on Russia removed. If Trump does not work outright for Putin, then at the least Trump has 2 masters....
13
Russia has never been our friend or ally. It has manipulated us from the start of our country, from John Paul Jones and the Tsarina, to the second World War, to the breakup of the over-expensive Soviet Union, and now to Trump. Russia has only been a "friend" when it benefited them more than it cost them.
10
Clearly the organization is not so top secret that it is totally unknown to American and probably allied officials. There is, without doubt, much that is known and not revealed.
What is disturbing is the lack of coordinated responses both public and private that seemingly have not taken place. It is also disturbing that alarm bells have been clanging for some time and only now is there a public acknowledgement that something is afoot.
What is also troubling is Mr. Trump's relationship and reluctance to offer criticism of Putin or Russia save for a few sanctions. Trump is totally unwilling to publicly put Russia on notice or announce that countermeasures by American security agencies the CIA, and others is always available and working to counteract the Russian spy network and special operations.
Clearly Putin and his cronies see Mr. Trump as a fool who can easily be manipulated and run over. Mr. Trump with his constant berating of American allies and partners also undermine American security interests. What Trump sees as productive public criticism is seen by the Russians and others as opportunity to undermine American influence and power.
10
One can only hope that a few of these Russian agents turn up dead and in a very public way. Then let those involved in this kind of covert action for Russian have to face a question whether it was Putin-ordered that some had to be "neutralized" or was it Western countermeasures toward those guilty of the worst crimes.
2
Very interesting article! Also the last move, backing up from Syria and allow the Turks take over, might have something to do with Putin.
8
The United States needs to take action to weaken Putin and to sanction Russia and the oligarchs severely until they act nicely. Putin has salted away billions around the world. Where this money is hidden should be determined and confiscated. The same goes for the oligarchs who help Putin. Eliminate the money and a lot of the mischief will stop. Next, start seizing Russians and Russian agents involved in these criminal activities and prosecute them. Reduce the people acting for Putin by locking them up. Where possible to interrupt the Russians committing crimes, make it world news. Saturate the popular mind with the Russians as criminals and predators, and watch how the world ostracizes them.
4
@Casual Observer Donald Trump will never do any of this.
5
No one should be surprised. Putin is as dangerous and ruthless as he was as a KGB officer. He is corrupt and determined to stay in power at all costs. His goal is to annex all those satellite countries that used to be a part of the Soviet Union. To have Russia resume its power and influence of the pre-cold war days is his ultimate goal.
That the Trump family got caught up in his web is not surprising. These people are not too bright though their moral character is the same as Putin's. With the release of the Senate Intelligence Report coming out today confirming the Russian interference in the 2016 election on behalf of Trump We can have no doubt as to the Trump compromise.
But America needs to beware. Trump and his cadre are as dangerous as a rattlesnake. Putin still backs him and the Republicans are in his thrall. They will do whatever it takes to win. I sincerely believe that also includes eliminating those who present a serious threat to them. Every Agency of the Executive, including Justice and Intelligence, are now under the complete control of Trump and his loyal associates. The shake down Trump is perpetrating will use all tools available to them. Anyone who tries to expose them or gets in their way will be eliminated as an example to all, simple Putin tactics. Putin and his satellite puppets are set on destroying our democracy, and they are succeeding. The old Cold War is now the new Cold War and we need to fight with everything we have.
12
The Republican's best friends apparently.
As long as they interfere on their and Trump's behalf.
Do us a favor and don't salute our flag anymore.
7
You are known not only by the company you keep, but your indifference, and silence to their murderous behavior. DT loves all things dictators, not a good thing for the world. Hoping that more, and more Republicans come to their senses, or are they secret wannabe dictators as well? Now is the time for all Americans, everyday ones, and those elected to office at all levels of government to decide, what kind of world do you want for your children, and grandchildren. Your inaction, and silence to all of this, is just as much a reflection of being as responsible for this as those who do it. Don't vote for those who won't call all of this out.
9
@MaryKayKlassen wrote: “Don't vote for those who won't call all of this out.”
Sounds great! Who is the Libertarian Party fielding this time around?
2
This is the plausible reason for Trump’s off the rails anger and fear.
4
Good to have revelatory information about this arm of the Trump election team, underlining the concerns of the Mueller investigation. Similarities between the paranoia of Kremlin ideologists and that of American white supremacists are imbedded in the subtext.
3
Trump is working for Putin to destabilize the US as well and doing a pretty good job so far.
9
Yeah! Let`s "spread democracy" to expand our empire. Unit 29155! WOW - I must remember that. "Western Security Security Officials"- are they the same ones who told us that Iraq had WMD and the children of those who told us about Tonkin?
1
During the days of the KGB a friend was involved in getting Jewish dissidents out of the Soviet Union. One day he returned to his hotel room to find the locks on all of his suitcases broken and everything thrown about the room. He left Moscow on the next plane out. As a former CIA operative explained, the KGB could have searched the room and left no clue if they had wanted to. It was a message. Truly clandestine operations only solve a single immediate problem. Messy operations draw attention, threaten and dissuade others who might consider opposing Russia.
7
From the 2012 election
"When you were asked, what's the biggest geopolitical threat facing America, you said 'Russia.' Not Al-Qaeda; you said Russia," Obama charged. "And, the 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back, because, the Cold War's been over for 20 years."
The Democrats called Romney every name in the book (racists, sexist, homophobe) and went on to win the 2012 election. However, the words racism and sexism no longer had any meaning, so they were useless against Trump.
How many Democrats would rather be in Romney's second term than Trump's first? I know some will say they are indistinguishable, but that is likely a minority.
4
I'm shocked, shocked to find KGB, rather GRU, activities coming out of the Soviet Union, rather Russia.
5
So Romney was spot on and the mainstream media totally off when Romney identified Russia as our biggest threat. Next the media has to realize the threat from China, the NBA certainly doesn't get it.
3
Vincent Price saw goblins in the gallows and thought that made for a nice Easter, then he stumbled on some loamy soil which would make for more a slip than a stumble but he never was fashionable. End. sidenote: it's sad to see soup cans have evolved faster than hoomans. Delighted.
Whose agenda is this ? What country reaps the most benefit from this agenda ? Does this look like an effort to please or
appease Russia?
1. Undermine confidence in American intelligence agencies
2. Insult and alienate major American allies
3. Threaten less support for Nato
4. Misrepresent and discredit the conclusions of the Mueller report including Russian
intervention in the 2016 election
5. Foment a lack of confidence in the integrity of US elections
6. Use social media to disseminate false information
7. Impose higher tariffs on traditional American allies
8. Pressure Ukraine to provide information that will help keep the current President in office
9. Initiate a trade war that affects the stability of the American and global economy
10. Malign the press the "enemy of the people"
11. Encourage divisiveness in the US
12. Engage in measures that exacerbate an Iran/US conflict
13. Lift sanctions on Deripaska
14. Use the Kurds in Syria to help fight ISIS and then abandon them
17
15. Intimidate Republican Senators.
2
Similar to how the Civil War never truly ended for the Deep South here in the US, it looks like the Cold War never truly ended in Putin's Russia.
4
Not to cast Putin in a good light, but part of the blame for this Russian paranoia run-amok belongs with U.S. military policy and complicit politicians. Following the collapse of the Berlin Wall there was an understanding with Russia that neither side would abuse the void to gain military advantage over the other side. Effectively, the liberated countries would be a demilitarized zone.
But all former Warsaw Pact countries have since joined NATO, an act contrary to bilateral neutrality. Did NATO have to march right up the Russian border, and, quite obviously, make Russia feel encircled? These countries should been left to act as buffer states. Or another semi pro-U.S. moniker like "Coalition for Peace" could have been created. Instead, we have a military coalition on all Russian borders which has created anti-western obsession. Russia, don't forget, is a country obsessed historically by outside invasion. This was not a smart move by the NATO and a whole series of Presidents.
102
@Borat Smith
It is simply false to claim any understanding of Warsaw Pact neutrality existed. Completely untrue. The collapse of the USSR and it's control of Eastern Europe was not a negotiated agreement. The whole Soviet system was no longer tenable. The old guard couldn't hold on any longer. And, remember that this was the era of Reagan/Bush and Maggie Thatcher. No way would they have agreed to leaving the East neutral.
Having said that, it is true that NATO territory now borders Russia in the north (Baltic States) and almost in the south (Ukraine), which is provocative. But the real problem is that Russia rejected democracy and is lead by a KGB-trained dictator with visions of a new Russian Empire.
114
@Borat Smith
I have a hard time with this because you are talking countries, and I keep thinking about the people living there. It seems that your way treats them as if they did not matter.
66
@Borat Smith
Why do we keep acting like Russia is some mythical power. We put so much effort in talking about a corrupt brunch of white men who love Trump. And the GOP love them The rest of us know that we have to protect ourselves from our own corrupt administration till we have the impeachment kick in and we right the wrongs of the last election .
Russia, China step back the GOP cowards are not long for being in the political arena anymore.
19
"how organically ruthless the Russians could be"...Really? Oganically"?? Russians as such, ethnically, by nature??? This smacks of the worst, eugenics-type, even fascist labeling of a whole nation. Nothing prepared me to read this in NYTimes in 2019. Or maybe I am just plain naive, because fascism does have a tradition in this country, unfortunately.
8
I was going to add my comment to this article but the comments already posted say it all. We had better wake up soon or we will all be learning Russian. Everyone except Mr T. , of course. He's still working on his English.
19
Sounds like something the CIA was up to, years ago.
1
That picture of Averyanov, with his bow tie and little mustache is almost exactly what I imagine when I picture an MI-6 officer.
1
Seems to me like a story taken from "A Very Secret Service". lol
I have long been convinced that an anti-Western power has been stoking the mass illegal immigration that threatens to turn Europe and North America into third world countries. The West is committing suicide by encouraging millions of 'migrants', bringing with them the cultures of corruption, crime, poverty, and religious ignorance which caused their own countries of origin to fail. The only explanation is that a hostile power is behind the feel good 'useful idiots' who demand that the West absorb the billions who want to come here, and who think we can still retain our quality of life and our democratic traditions.
4
The hostile power is the USA.
Lovely of the NYT to put this out -- though who is at all surprised?
On Richard "9-11 Report" Clarke's Future State podcast, I heard some months ago via his ex-gov guests that US military and cybersec officials are well aware the Ruskies and probably Iranians are already well within the US's and likely every Five Eyes nation's power grids, not to mention half of Europe. And no one's doing much of a thing about it.
Meanwhile, President Trumpov is busy severing relations with your allies.
Get that Russian mole and his coterie of halfwits out of the Whitehouse and into the big house, and let's start putting the band once known as the Western World back together again.
The notion of Western democracy is melting faster than the polar icecaps, and the remaining adults need to take back the controls from the vermin. I just wish it were easier to discern the former from the latter.
9
Trump, do you still think Russia should be back in the G7?
5
The nature of the security system in a totalitarian regime is to keep the regime in power. It is rewarded lavishly by that regime. It is unconstrained. Periodically they conspire and replace the regime when a better offer comes along. Hitler succeeded in neutralizing the German military by demanding they take a personal oath of loyalty to him. Thus only a few military officers had the moral imperative to try to assassinate Hitler. When their operations were discovered there were show trials and the most gruesome executions imaginable.
Look at the mass murders of the KGB under Stalin with Beria. A staggering number of executions. On the level of Mao and Pol Pot. In China the state security is no less ruthless in carrying out the orders of the Chinese communist parties.
Security systems in democracies, in theory have an oath to protect and defend the constitution. There is congressional oversight, in theory. To that end they should have extraordinary oversight, transparency and accountability. It is not always perfect. Look at Iran Contra and the Black interrogation sites of the CIA where torture was "outsourced".
We can only hope that the Ethical Systems of the military, police and intelligence services in Western democracies are different from those of totalitarian regimes. Power corrupts absolutely and must be examined and held accountable in democracies.
7
Sick and feeble Russia, the shriveled remains of Stalin's empire, is trying to bring the whole world down into the miserable state in which it endures. Putin can kill but he cannot build, so he kills.
13
Can we call a spade a spade?
Russia is a terrorist state.
15
Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin's hacking and meddling in the 2016 American Presidential campaign and election on behalf of Donald Trump has to rank as the greatest national security espionage intelligence coup of all time.
Smiling and smirking Vladimir Putin made a mockery of America's inherent enduring partisan political historical divisions resting in color aka race aka ethnicity aka national origin aka faith. The useful idiots at Facebook, Twitter, Google etc. helped.
There is no mystery nor secret to Putin sending his foes to hospitals, mental institutions, prisons, urns and coffins.
11
A direct line between Red Army spies against WWII Nazis, and this GRU group. Sorry, but I see another link- a Hitler obsessed with getting back parts of Germany taken after WWI, and Putin wanting all his USSR satellites back under the Russian wing. Also a parallel between this gang of GRU thugs and the early Brown Shirts. Do the dirty work, the violence, the disinformation. Putin wanting to invade another country to ‘protect’ Russians living there....uh, how retro Hitleresque is that?
Imagine if all this talent, effort would go into making Russia stronger, more free, better for it’s own people, instead of tearing down everyone else. I feel sorry for ordinary Russians- they have a dysfunctional leader, just like we do.
11
Vladimir Putin is a well-dressed mobster pretending to be President of Russia.
Donald Trump is a wannabe mobster pretending to be President of the USA; Donald really admires Putin and his thugocratic oligarchy.
American and European voters need to reject these lawless authoritarians unless they want Putocracy to come to a theater near them.
19
This is where Trump becomes very handy for the Russians and their rogue campaign of assassinations. He turns a blind eye which gives the Russians more power to destabilize Europe.
I honestly believe that our president works for the other side . I honestly do , which is a terrifying concept to believe ,but all of his actions speak to weakening our allies and strengthening Putin , our adversary. We are not the United States of America anymore that was the leader of the free world . We need to elect a president in 2020 which brings us back to where we can get back our honor around the globe .
Which brings me to my next point . In the Democratic debates , where are the questions about foreign policy ? This is where Biden will shine and standout as the best candidate to try and regain our status worldwide. I don’t see Elizabeth Warren filling those shoes.
23
A very good read/research by Schwirtz but what's missing is the historic dimension and why weakness in western institutions led it emboldened actions today: this unit (analogous GRU groups) cut their teeth not in Crimea or the UK but in the invasion of Georgia. Consistently overlooked, it was the lack of response from Europe and convenient "blame the victim narrative" that led the Russians to conclude that they can (and continue) to operate with little if any consequences.
16
Unfortunately, Putin's efforts are paying off here in the US and in Europe. We have Trump and the UK has Boris. The Russians had a big part in installing both of them, and both are doing Putin's bidding.
34
@jas2200
Quid Pro Quo.
2
This kind of activity seems very "Russian." There is much historically about Russian leaders' character to support underhanded plotting to defeat an opponent. Whether from this organization or another within Russia, Trump must feel that his Russian leash is rather short.
10
Both Russia/Soviet and the USA have tried to influence youth NGOs and every other thinkable organization in Norway before, during and after the cold war. My point is that the execution of perceived enemies is ugly. But the continuous influencing business would, in my view, be more important to describe, its history as well as its current form. Mr. Trump is not the first administration to send threatening letters to an extremely loyal ally. But I am not very worried about Norway, but for less stable countries. Most of all I feel sorry for Afghanistan where Russia/Soviet and the UK/USA have been instigating skirmishes for 200 years. For some reason Trump has never been in favour of this kind of thing. Poor man must be confused when the best of his views is attacked from all sides. (That is the futility of skirmishes, not the influencing)
3
@Jamil D
Don't blame the US for what the UK has done in the distant past. Blame the Taliban for welcoming Osama to train to blow up NYC. Afghanistan deserves the trouble it has attracted. Give up religious fundamentalism of every kind (in this case it is Islam but all religious fundamentalism causes instability and creates a target for attack). Your God is not the only God for 7 billion humans so mind your own business, Afghanistan.
1
Since these (conspiracy?) theories come from our own squeaky clean intelligence agencies, why should we not believe them?
4
@Fred McTaggart
Amusing, considering the Right Wing's love of Fox.
1
Read Churchill's timeless masterpiece called the "Iron Curtain" speech. It was true back in 1946 and it is even more true today: the only TIME PROVEN WINNING RECIPE against totalitarianism, which today's Russia and China are.
"We cannot be blind to the fact that the liberties enjoyed by individual citizens throughout the United States and throughout the British Empire are not valid in a considerable number of countries, some of which are very powerful. In these States control is enforced upon the common people by various kinds of all-embracing police governments to a degree which is overwhelming and contrary to every principle of democracy. The power of the State is exercised without restraint, either by dictators or by compact oligarchies operating through a privileged party and a political police...
If the Western Democracies stand together in strict adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter, their influence for furthering those principles will be immense and no one is likely to molest them. If however they become divided of falter in their duty and if these all-important years are allowed to slip away then indeed catastrophe may overwhelm us all."
-- Winston Churchill, Iron Curtain speech, 1946
26
@NN Churchill = war criminal, who do you think talked the US into overthrowing Iran's government? Britan wasn't happy with the offer of HALF the profits from Iranian oil instead of the "fair" 90% they had been taking.
1
@M. Thomas
I know, I know... Kill the messenger - one of Trump and Putin's favorite...
1
Putin complains that "attempts are being made to disrupt strategic parity". He's only partly referring to military parity--he's worried just as much, if not more, by the disparity that Russia's citizens see in their way of life, as imposed on them by people like Putin, and the way of life enjoyed in liberal democracies where journalists, people running for public office, and many others, don't have to fear for their safety.
6
If only Vladimir Putin had decide to put his energy and resources towards building the Russian economy instead of bringing down western democracies he would stand as one of Russia's all time great statesmen. As a Russian asset, Donald Trump may have done impressive damage to America, however Donald Trump will not make Russia great again.
29
@Son Of Liberty
So true. Russia has so many great resources, including a highly educated population. They could have success in so many businesses rather than just oil.
Interestingly enough, it is the same strategy our Red States use. Tear others down instead of building themselves up.
12
@Son Of Liberty
Donald Trump isn’t doing much for the USA either.
Putin and Trump deserve each - too bad they are ruining both our countries with their self-interested grabs for power and wealth.
2
GDP (PPP) per capita growth since 1998. Russia 203%, UK 87% Italy 49%, US. Now compare numbers of homeless people dying on the streets in New York with those in Moscow.
1
well, what a surprise.
Did we not know that?
Putin is a recidivist, much as Trump is an implosion.
Some think they can rebuild their empire, when it was fleeting and long one and others think they can pull away and still issue directives
4
Maybe but the base line for the former Soviet Union was zero.
Russia has a cunning, worldly, ruthless KGB-trained operative as its president who has dreams of restoring Soviet hegemony around the globe.
America has a lazy, semi-literate, failed businessman with a toddler’s grasp of geopolitics and realpolitik and whose ambitions stretch no further than enriching himself and being idolized by his white base.
Why on earth wouldn’t shadowy GRU sponsored groups like Unit 29155 seek to sow mayhem in the US and among our allies? The Republicans have certainly shown no signs that they are taking the threat of Russian interference seriously and as for Trump - He has laid out the welcome mat.
40
@Susan - The GOP does take the Russian threat seriously (and the threats of other nations allied with Russia), but only because they welcome the threat. They see Russia and its allies, and the power of the church, as the bully they can count on to somehow defeat liberalism, free and fair elections, demographic changes, etc.
4
@Susan
Nice try Susan, but if you READ the article this started way before Trump. Much of it during Obamas reign.
and since you are posting from Paris, where is the disdain for pretty boy Macron, and all EU leaders?
It sadly sounds you think your leaders are puppets to the US, because it is TRUMP who is the cause of this mayhem.
I share the disgust of all who have commented, but can't get over the irony that we, too (the good ol' US of A), have spent decades destabilizing, overthrowing and assassinating. What is it that they say about chickens coming home to roost?
20
Unlike the CIA the GRU has no accountability except to Putin. Just remember that Putin was a third tier lackey in the KGB. That speaks volumes that his own agency didn't think he was capable of handling more critical assignments. This may be his Napoleon complex way of saying "see what I can do, I can take us back to the good old days"!
Where did all these nut cases (Putin and Trump) come from?
9
@Buck - They came from a subset of human DNA that simply acts this way.
@Buck The CIA had no accountability when we were doing the exact same thing for decades, 1950-1990's. Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black. Hypocrisy at its finest.
Yes, SPECTRE. Guess who No. 1 is.
Trump is a No. 2 ... that much is obvious. He’s literally a No. 2 and always has been.
So the reset button that Hillary pushed with the Russians to mock the republicans when they said Russia was a threat didn't work out surprising
1
@EAH Perhaps it would have gone better if Trump weren’t in Putin’s pocket. It’s hard to counter Russian intrigue when an American president is on their side.
3
Hillary caused the Russians to develop Kompromat on The Dotard? That’s truly amazing! I would have never thought it possible.
1
That's a weak defense of having a president openly solicit, and recieving campaign support from a foreign government. Trump has useful idiot status with Putin.
That's a whole different world from Hillary pushing a reser button with the Kremlin.
One is diplomacy, the other is treasonous.
2
It must be reassuring that Putin’s favorite candidate has occupied the White House for the last 991 days. The strong possibility of another 5 + years must be gratifying. Certainly, Putin’s British golden boy is doing his job of “destabilizing” Europe.
17
"We had forgotten how organically ruthless the Russians could be,” said Peter Zwack.
Wow, organically ruthless. I'm frightened, really scarred. I hope they don't come after me!
What an asinine story. The Russians are little children compared to how ruthless the US is in the world.
4
@Frank
yea, well, 27 years ago, 200 000 russian soldiers left my country..since then US soldiers occasioanly train here or just pass by along with other NATO allies. Guess which are the better times. Some people really had forgotten how organically ruthless the Russians can be.
5
It is such a wonder that the comments relating to this news story blame President Trump.
Russia and the rest of our enemies had eight years of Obama the apologist to sow this chaos.
If Obama had been any kind of man, like President Trump, he would have stood up for America and not hid behind Michelle’s apron while the world took advantage of America.
@John Gilday - How is Trump "standing up for America" by standing down for Putin (and the Saudis, etc.)?
5
@John Gilday: Just like Trump stood up for America back in July 2018, when he threw his country under the bus and praised Putin instead? You can call black white, but that doesn’t make it so!
2
The Europeans and hopefully with US cooperation could terminate all Russian movement of money via SWIFT or Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications.
This how Russians buy American property..or send money worldwide.
If the threat to "cut off" Russians availability to move money world wide..perhaps then and only then will the Russians hope to one day join the world community.
Those of you at the NYT should look into this method of thwarting the Russians and their "dirty deals"....
3
@RH Trump would never allow this to happen to his buddy Putin
3
And Trump will say this is all a lie, because Putin told him it was.
7
At least our President is friends with these guys.
2
So while Russia works to destabilize Europe, America and other democracies we have Trump & his assorted cronies like Graham & Giuliani assisting them in redirecting the focus of their interference onto Ukraine. No collusion? Yeah right!!
17
And Putin’s all Trump is enabling all of it.
4
. . . and this is new information? I think this article illustrates the naivete and idiocy of the writer and newspaper as much as the possible ill-preparedness of the West and US. The Kremlin has been at it since . . . 1-9-1-7! This didn't stop in 1989, and every expectation must be that they will be at this in, say, 2029!
2
I'm sure KGB Lieut. Col. Vladimir Putin knows NOTHING about this, or Russia's cyberwar against Estonia, or Russia's occupation of Crimea, or the Russian soldiers masquerading as freedom-fighters in Ukraine, or.....
16
@Maurice Wolfthal
But why would he do this? He is Trump's best friend:)
1
@Maurice Wolfthal Of course Putin knows, and will say nothing. Why should he? He and his gang are getting away with it. Trump wishes that he were as smart and as gutsy as his friend Putin.
1
But Putin's such a good guy, a smart guy, when will the Times stop these Russophobic attacks? (Sound familiar?)
8
Another pathetic attempt by the loser russians to drag modern nations down into their wannabe russian abyss.
What happened to you russians?
Before frodo putin russia was feared and respected.
Now, after nearly a decade of frodo putin at the helm, russia is a sad little joke.
Hey show the world your Buran Space Shuttle.
That theft of The United States' intellectual property doesn't make your country seem weak and sad at all.
4
It's time to finish the Break-up of Russia. Talk about a backwater country! So much in resources, land and power and it's like they cant pass 2nd grade.
7
@John Montalvo
Perhaps. But they got Trump elected in the USA. and Moscow Mitch to put the might of the US Senate behind Trump.
4
Sounds just like the CIA - - Ossetia, Syria, Ukraine (lost Crimea) Avkhasia, Iraq (created ISIS), Lybia (civil war), Afghanistan (who knows), Kosovo.
...
7
@JBonn It's hard to miss the similarities. I think we should disband the operational part of the CIA and keep intelligence gathering and analysis. Whenever our spy boys try to pull off a caper, it's a disaster. And even their intelligence and analysis need to be taken with a grain of salt (see Iraq).
1
That’s the Russians for you
4
@denise falcone exactly....nobody on Earth is safe from Vlad & Co
1
The CIA reaction to this article: “Amateurs”.
2
Just ask Putin. Russians didn't interfere in the 2016 election. They didn't use a nerve agent to assassinate a former Russian officer living in England. It wasn't a Russian missile that shot down the Malaysian passenger plane over Ukraine. And there are no Russian trolls posting on this NYT comment section.
36
About 10 years ago Putin delivered a speech where he directly said that the purpose of the Russian foreign policy is to destabilize the liberal order, weaken the EU and liberal democracies and bring back the conservative and religious morals.
The USSR did not have any friends. The Russian Federation does not have any friend either. Both old and new never wanted to have friends. The USSR thrived on the misery of others. The same with Russia.
They will never change. Countries must stay away from Russia. Cooperation is essential, but always bear in mind that Russia finds joy and purpose in screwing others.
25
The puzzle pieces are starting to fit together:
Trump gushes over Putin and Russia during campaign and throughout his term.
Son in law tries to set up secret communication system with Putin.
Trump has secret meetings and conversations with Putin throughout his term.
Trump highly critical of our NATO allies throughout his term.
23
@John M Sounds like a criminal complaint against Traitor Trump. When does he go to jail? (Can he pardon himself?)
4
This stuff is scary than all of the Hitchcock films I've seen and Steven King books I've ever read.
14
This is the tip of the iceberg.
1
Most Americans, myself included, know little about the complex history of eastern Europe. But this piece brings to mind the political chaos in the two major Western democracies, the US and the UK. We have ample documentation of Russia's destabilization of our country
Kremlin sees Russia as at war with the liberal democratic order.
How strange to have a foreign nation be at war with us and we are
1
Russia's big win was Brexit.
19
@Kevin Cahill a bigger win for Russia was getting Trumptard elected...
4
@Kevin Cahill
The English have not figured it out yet.
2
@Kevin Cahill
Russia's bigger win was Trump!
3
Russia is not our “friend “ in any sense of the word. We have very few common issues. We have completely different world views and aspirations.
We should keep that in mind in dealing with them.
10
@James It's SO odd to see republicans in congress, who USED to lead the call AGAINST Russia, become so friendly with Russia, in some cases, and at least indifferent in many others.
4
@James you really must listen to Trump more often, after all he is a stable genius. He told us Putin is a nice guy, a beautiful man, a man of honor....
2
Jefferson envisioned “friendship with all nations”. Are you declaring yourself smarter than Jefferson, who JFK declared was smarter than a room full of Nobel laureates?
Russia hates ISIS as much as we do. Let Putin spend his own blood and treasure to build its pipeline through Syria. If the Saudi butchers want to build theirs instead, let them fight Russia - without US help.
2
"The purpose of Unit 29155, which has not been previously reported, underscores the degree to which the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, is actively fighting the West with his brand of so-called hybrid warfare — a blend of propaganda, hacking attacks and disinformation — as well as open military confrontation.
And yet our president continues to defend the Russian president.
Difficult to not wonder what all of those private phone calls and meetings were about, especially in lieu of what's transpired with the Ukraine debacle.
Trump is either ridiculously naive or is in cahoots with Putin. Either way, I fear more for this country today than any day previously.
Thank you Michael Schwirtz for reporting and writing such an alarming yet necessary story.
13
"In the months before the 2016 presidential election, American officials say two G.R.U. cyber units, known as 26165 and 74455, hacked into the servers of the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign, and then published embarrassing internal communications."
In July, Robert Mueller warned the country that "Russia attacked our elections in 2016 and is intensifying its efforts today. It wasn’t a single attempt. They’re doing it as we sit here.”
This article cements his words and yet, what is really being done to help prevent or offset such interference?
McConnell recently approved last month a measly $250 million for election protection but that's chump change. It's difficult to not get a sense that the GOP is approving this interference by their meek and weak efforts to help counteract it.
If the Russians can interfere and control an election, what's next? Wall Street? The banking system? Nuclear reactors?
13
@Marge Keller the North American power grid... there have already been incursions, appearing as random outages.
Test runs for the main event, perhaps?
3
This is just part of the Russian tool box for destabilizing Western democracies. Another tool is the groups that work through social media to sow distrust and chaos within Western society. Used successfully in the US prior to the last election and in the UK prior to Brexit. It was also employed during the last French and German election with less visible result. Yet another tool is financing of anti democratic parties and organisations within those same societies. Used for instance in France and the UK. One of the ultimate goals is to break up NATO and EU.
23
@Erland Nettum
The EU will probably succeed in breaking up NATO on it's own. I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Trump but he is the one urging the others to hold their promise of 2% GDP..none of the European states seems to care about security very much...which leaves the door for Mr. Putins ambitions wide open. When will we ever learn?
2
Really? "Western security officials" just figured out all the Russian attacks were coordinated? Isn't our response coordinated, too? Oh, right, many of our agencies see their investigations as proprietary, so they don't talk to each other. Some remain voluntarily blind. And the hacking continues.
5
I don't envy the security official who had to bring this to Trump's attention:
"No, no I don't believe it. Putin is a good guy. He wouldn't do this. He is our friend."
15
Much fodder for sci-fi futuristic paranoia imaginings here...but in an age where "the possible" races past the "merely imagined," we need not dwell on possible futures, but face up to the one we have.
Warfare, a human tool for achieving power and control, is evolving at light speed, building viruslike on technology.
What capabilities do other nation-states have? Global corporations?
3
This is a plausible mechanism of threat and leverage that gets Trump’s acquiescence. Who wouldn’t fear these guys??
6
I wonder if this units next targets might be speaker Pelosi and Adam Schiff- at the behest of THEIR commander-for-sale Trump
9
@F. Ahmed or the whistleblower
2
Mitt Romney was right and if it wasn’t for his blind trust and support high finance he would have found a larger audience in us liberals.
6
Mitt Romney was right and if it wasn’t for his blind trust and support high finance he would have found a larger audience in us liberals.
The best reaponse to Russia would be for the USA and Europe to open up long-term, 5-year, single-entry VISAs to Russian citizens from verifiable residencies in Moscow and St. Pete, and watch the river of people flood out of Russia.
2
@Samuel Bowers
We opened up our borders after the fall of Communism and ended up importing the Russian mafiya and their violent organized crime rings. So, no, let’s not do that.
6
@Samuel Bowers
They are already coming, as brides.
2
Russia is fighting a whole new kind of war and it seems to be working quite well.
5
Outstanding reporting.
7
Right now the Republican Party are traitors to the United States if they don't start standing up to this administration.
These actions that Putin's Russia are doing won't be stopped until we are a unified front.
At least call your Senator regardless of party if this issue concerns you.
18
A play straight out of Season 3 of Berlin Station
3
And Trump is actively helping Russia any chance he gets— think about that.
15
Russia, like NK, is simply a rogue criminal state. If we had a president, we could rally our allies and impose additional crippling sanctions against Russia. Instead, Trump carries Putin’s water.
10
@D. Smith
And what do you call America ? Land of the guys with the white hats ? Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan are three reasons not to view the world in such Manichean ways.
Great article hitting many points on Russian subversion warfare that Putin unleashed vs combined West. The effort that will be needed to stop or neutralize that warfare needs to be publicized to any extend possible to make sure that public eye is on the Intelligence services to do that...
One thing that cannot be left unmentioned is the Reader's comment sections blistering with anti-Trump sentiment... That has nothing to do with Russian cloak & dagger effort and yet... Most comments are linking Trump to Putin as if a proven fact... To me it's a result of almost 3 years of relentless propaganda by this paper as well as entire spectrum of left media... and readership at-large does not have any benefit of a doubt even in absence of any facts... as a result of reading free press and variety of opinion... but rather displaying impact of brainwashing not seen en mass since Pravda (Russian for "Truth", I believe) or Volkischer Beobachter... Putin would be proud of both the effort and impacts... and the sorry state of our so called Free Press...
5
Actually, that disgraceful Helsinki press conference was carried live. And Trump TOLD US HIMSELF that he’d revealed classified information two years ago, that he’s advanced Russia’s interests in Syria more recently...
4
Is the unit called "The Trump Administration"?
11
It could be time for American Special Ops warriors to spearhead missions to assist with the disappearance of those ndividuals who harm America.
1
Perhaps an agreement by global democracies to cut Russia's ties to the Internet might have some impact. I am sure they can find workarounds but would think it might have a pretty big impact on their larger efforts. What possible argument does Donnie have for his repeated actions to HELP the Russians. When you look at a check list of what he has done, it's as if Putin had handed it to him as a to-do list. It is appalling.
10
Maybe it's time for the West to wake up to this one-sided war. Russian assaults are pervasive, even infiltrating Western governments with people who quietly sync with Russian interests (e.g., Boris Johnson Brexit adviser Dominic Cummings, who spent several years in Russia). It's no coincidence these people are actively disrupting the political climate in the West. Trump himself is surrounded by people with Russian ties.
16
The last sentences in the article are key: While the unit itself is shrouded in secrecy, this isn't about secret activities. Rather, it's a particular form of terrorism, done with the intend to scare and frighten those who are opposed to Putin's goals. But, Russia's greatest coup to date is, of course, their successful assistance to get Donald Trump elected as President right here. It's no accident that this and similar units of the Russian government are now operating almost with impunity.
126
"Western security officials have now concluded that these operations, and potentially many others, are part of a coordinated and ongoing campaign to destabilize Europe, executed by an elite unit inside the Russian intelligence system skilled in subversion, sabotage and assassination."
No doubt Trump will want to investigate these investigators on behalf of Putin. Barr is probably up for the task.
26
The US left the democracy movement. It’s all such a tragedy. I can’t wrap my head around this.
30
@Helene Hopefully things will be very different 15 months from now. Fingers crossed
6
The 2016 vote tally in MI, PA and WI that gave trump the EC, a for a total of 79,648 (0.2, 0.7, 0.8 resp.) has always seemed curious. The three states that could give him a win, with just enough over as not to seem egregious, yet within reason, would on its face not suggest foul play.
But when you factor in Brad Parscale's machinations in conjunction with Manafort's giving polling data directly to Russian operatives, such as those featured in this article, it would not surprise in the least to find that those vote tallies were manipulated. We know they had the ability, and still do.
Add McConnell's stubbornness on allocating funds to harden our defenses, his alleged receipt of Russian $$ via the NRA, trump's private (non-recorded or staff attended) meetings with Putin, it really makes you wonder.
Given how boldly lawless trump has become, it's as though he doesn't really fear damaging consequences for his behavior, which coincidentally has been very favorable toward Putin.
Very troublesome looking at 2020. I put nothing past anyone in trump's circle of power - their intent on expanding it is brazenly obvious.
109
@Deb: i agree with your overview 100%..i have been convinced from the night dump won that they hacked the results. i still think so..and of course, any real attempt to look into the way this could have happened will never occur with putin pulling the strings of our president and senate traitors
15
@Deb
Wholeheartedly agree with your assessment. It is so very obvious, the Occums' Razor, if you will, and frustrating that nobody seems to have the imagination to consider it. Putin and his cronies have been laughing since the election at our naivete, while the talking heads attribute his election solely to the social media disinformation campaigns. Trump and his close inner campaign circle know exactly how illegitimate he truly is.
4
Maybe we need “positive information campaigns” to counter Russian info war?
Maybe we need stronger international laws to punish foreign cyberattacks, election interference, disinformation campaigns and assassinations?
11
@Frank M -- Good idea.
It won't happen, because it would catch our people, who do the same things.
6
@Frank M For that, we need a new president...
5
Aye as they say in Scotland what goes around comes around.
In around 1950 the CIA and Mi6 destabilized Iran, in around 1978 a CIA operative was caught having broken into the UK Labour Party offices.
Everywhere the CIA and Five Eyes are at work, suddenly USA.Com goes, anti Hauwuii China is spying on us they say.
Truth might be USA.Com, isn’t capable of hacking them any longer Microsoft, Facebook, Google and Apple are all compliant with NSA in the backdoor but 5g doesn’t and good Ole USA is still stuck with 3G LTE.
It would be naive to think that Russia only operates a unit like this in Europe. I suspect there is a similar action unit working deep cover in the United States. With Trump diverting the FBI and Justice Department to doing his political bidding, they may very well be getting away with their dirty actions.
406
@Jim Brokaw, I think they already got away with "round one." Look what's occupying the White House.
78
@Jim Brokaw why do you think Trump is in office? and is dismantling our democratic institutions and further eroding our norms? Norms by the way that needed propping up before Trump. Internally and Internationally we are weaker.
64
@Jim Brokaw And it would be easy to cloak such operations here, because of the decisive, fractured nature of this country, something that Putin saw long ago, and quite profoundly.
30
Trumps may be the most memorable words after his presidency will be
" I asked Putin and he vehemently denied doing all those things, I believed him"
it will become a bumper sticker.
53
@su
Why not just carve in his forehead; the scarlet Republicon mantra. He ain't shaking down our country alone.
I studied the history of the CPSU, the 1930s show trials at which leading Bolsheviks were forced to “confess” and were then executed, and subsequent decades of Soviet military operations and clandestine activities, especially in our country during the Manhattan Project and the Cold War. There is a pattern to all of this. If Trump wants to isolate our country and make it “great” again, he may study how the Russian government has gone about its own isolation. At one time, when Yeltsin was head of government, there seemed to be a movement to open up Russia and build democratic institutions of government. This is long past and Putin has resumed the old, tried and true Russian methods of national defense against the West. He is, of course, angry about European and U.S. financial and economic sanctions against his country and has taken steps to counter these. He calls upon a long history of Russian/Soviet espionage activities throughout Europe and the U.S.
Our lame-brained president appears not to know anything about this history. He claims he is “perfect” and “brilliant” and a master decision-maker. He is a fool and has jeopardized our national security to appeal to his know-nothing base. He is costing American lives, jeopardizing the safety of our diplomats and military forces stationed abroad, and undermining our NATO alliance for the sake of appeasing Putin and the Kremlin. He must be impeached.
65
@bkbyers Are you seriously suggesting that Trump is capable of studying anything??
3
@bkbyers Yeltsin was a disaster for the Russians. He is why Putin took over.
1
We need James Bond!
13
“A retired G.R.U. officer with knowledge of Unit 29155 said that it specialized in preparing for ‘diversionary’ missions, ‘in groups or individually — bombings, murders, anything.’”
Same Soviet playbook from the past ninety years or so? Fantastic. Polonium to all, and to all a good night.
21
Someone on Twitter claimed a few weeks ago that this unit is going to travel to the US during the 2020 elections, and assassinate and terrorize the Democratic candidates. Once--three years ago--I would have thought he was a raving lunatic.
Now? I'm not so sure.
24
@Cyntha We can probably find them, they will be staying at Trump owned Hotels and properties.
7
How is this any different from the CIA?
9
@Southern Boy
Pathetic that you ask at all. We have had our "dirty tricks" overseas (you do realize each country has its own intelligence services?) but people by the score do not disappear overnight, nor are political opponents (perceived or real) imprisoned or killed. This kind of false equivalence (so rampant these days) is ignorance in action.
4
Well, for starters, YOU are their target. Thank you.
2
What is that supposed to mean-be specific.
2
Where are all the people (including our former president) that laughed at Romney when he correctly identified Russia as our greatest enemy back in 2012? Now Russia is a global issue, smh?
16
@Swan The nascent Trumpies their support to Mr. Trump.
@Swan Romney is crickets on this now....
1
The people who should REALLY be worried about this GRU super-secret intelligence are everyday, hardworking, honest Russians who dream of a democratic government. Every day that passes, they realize more and more that Vladimir Putin, a.k.a. Little Putin is nothing but a thug, a tyrant and a murderer in a fancy suit. The Russian people have to live with that. We, in the west, do not.
9
@L. de Torquemada :
Your statement that the Russian people and not we in the west have to live with the tyrant and murderer Putin is grossly inaccurate.
As with all tyrants, it starts in their own country which is reason enough to be alert to the threat. It then inevitably like the cancer it is spreads to the rest of the world. We in the West are not immune.
7
@libby wein Grossly inaccurate? I guess you lived in the shadow of the Kremlin, where Putin's storm-troopers stomp on dissent, and journalists are assassinated, sometimes in daylight. Hyperbole is so unbecoming. Foreign policy is complicated. And it is good to remember that we have our own intelligence services with better tools and mandates than the GRU ever will have at its disposal.
Dont expect CIA to do anything hurtful to Putin, afterall he keeps them in business.
3
It’s all about power abuse corruption and money laundering
13
So that must be the party destabilizing Venezuela, oh wait, that's not Europe, and oh wait again....
9
Somehow, I don't think that anyone who has anything REALLY interesting to say on this topic, will be leaving a comment.
17
Haha, good point!
1
Russian ‘intelligence’s’ stupid ‘games’ are short-sighted, and incredibly dangerous. As a free Western citizen, I despise their often deadly, but still incredibly infantile, stunts.
6
With Trump's repeated divisieness at home for personal gain, constant badmouthing of all American alliances and allies for no gain, Abandonment of the Iran nuclear containment pact for no gain, extortion of Ukraine for personal gain and yesterday's abandonment of Kurdish allies for no gain, who really gains and loses from all of Trump's chaos?
Putin gains a free hand to go on tearing apart Ukraine, squeeze Turkey and the Kurds through Syrian and Iranian proxies, divide NATO, divide Europe, and divide East Asia from an increasingly unreliable America.
But far worse, America loses a system of alliances and allies that have delivered and assured the unsurpassed security and prosperity of America and its allies since the end of WWII in 1945.
Solution? America gets rid of Trump.
33
This is one reason why we need to know whether Trump is an unregistered agent of Russia since it appears from this article that Putin is waging undeclared, but active war on Europe and the United States.
This is also why we need to see Trump's tax returns and dig into Trump's relationship with Deutsche Bank, and with Deutsche Bank's relations with Russian banks and the oligarchs who control them for Putin.
There is no logical, reasonable, sane reason why Trump would support and encourage a kleptocratic dictator like Putin--who both Presidents Bush and Obama considered an adversary of the US--unless Putin had serious leverage over Trump and was running him as he once did foreign agents for the KGB.
That leverage, or kompromat, could begin and end with Trump's stated obsession with building a Trump property in Moscow, and his own activities btw. the years 2005 to 2015 to make that happen.
That compromising material may also be the leverage Putin has to move Trump to withhold $ 391MM in military aide from Ukraine, since that action clearly benefits Putin's separatist militias fighting against Zelensky's forces in the eastern provinces of that country.
Anyone who excuses Trump's fealty to Putin as Trump charting a new path in foreign relations is kidding him/herself & being willfully blind to obvious betrayal.
I think history will prove someday that Trump was bought and paid for by the Russians, and his entire presidency is a Kremlin operation to destroy America.
76
@Biff .....No Trump is not an agent of Putin or Russia.
If he were the Russians would not have allowed an obvious meeting of only Russians in the Oval Office.
They would not have allowed obvious friendliness between Trump and Putin on camera.
Trump may be complicit in that his own intelligence operatives and campaign security staff sensed the Moscow assistance.
@Biff
100% TRUTH
5
No, not the dreaded Unit 25155!
Russian leadership need do nothing more than plant stories of masterful spy operations and sit back and watch the West self-destruct. Perhaps this new fear mongering can finally bury us.
4
@nero
Unfortunately it's just this kind of denial that makes it so much easier for this, and any other Unit to do its behind-the-scenes work.
The fact of the matter is that most Americans have absolutely no idea of what's happening in any world other than their own.
This is more than just "fear mongering".
It's true.
21
@nero Sorry, that should have been "dreaded Unit 29155!" My typo.
@N. Smith We've been misled far too many times by our own intelligence communities to believe this latest line of paranoia. Even if true -- which I sincerely doubt -- the U.S. has done the same thing the world over. We will do more damage to our freedom and democracy fighting off this phantom than any harm the Russians can perpetrate.
In the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, we sought revenge and safety. We squandered hard-fought freedoms, inflicting lasting damage on ourselves that far surpassed the carnage that a handful of fanatics with boxcutters were able to accomplish almost 20 years ago.
clearly russia has had some success in destabilizing the "greatest nation on earth"
doesn't bode well for europe.
13
@Ashley B.
Good point, but you're already out of date.
Putin used propaganda to get the people in the UK to decide to get out of Europe.
People were told that if the UK was out of the EU there would be more money for the health services. Which people now realize it was a blatant lie..... But now the UK has already one foot in economic disaster. Even though it still not officially out the country is already losing industries and there's a brain drain....
The same propaganda is applied to other EU countries that now have increasingly strong Radical Right political parties.... The Right is constantly militating to get out of the EU, in other words to do away with it. This of course is Putin's intent as no separate country in Europe would have the power that the EU has in containing Putin's ambition to "make Russia great again".
3
“I think we had forgotten how organically ruthless the Russians could be,” said Peter Zwack, a retired military intelligence officer and former defense attaché at the United States Embassy in Moscow...”
Shocking naïveté. Putin is a cold-blooded KGB killer. Russia is an oligarch kleptocracy. For the democratic west, Putin wants to sow political and cultural division, leading to weakness. He will stop at nothing to maintain his power.
31
Assassination targets survived and the apparent assassins were given highly regarded Russian spy awards. Participation trophy, anyone?
With that said, Putin is evil. The US needs better protective measures against election tampering. Trump has cut the budget on the cyber security team that is supposed to protect our elections. Trump is either effectively a Russian operative or really is a Russian operative. Trump has to go.
17
At this point, one can only wonder how long it will take Americans to finally realize that Russia is not, nor will it ever be our "friend" -- or for that, neither is a U.S. President who insists on calling them one.
Anyone familiar with Vladimir Putin and the Cold War/KGB Handbook he plays by knows that all bets are off when it comes to undermining free and democratic thought whether here in America, in Europe or anywhere else in the world.
And for those who need further proof of Russia's foreign undertakings, forget it.
They are masters at denial and disguise.
The only way to catch them in the act is by chance or good intelligence.
Which unfortunately, we lack with this administration.
14
Meanwhile, our President sends the Attorney General out on an errand to discredit our own intelligence sources. Our nation is at the edge of a cliff and 35% of us are trying to push it over--it doesn't matter that they are acting in good faith when the actor they believe in is as much a villain as Putin.
30
Has our Attorney General included examination of this unit in his travels abroad?
11
Germany has reacted meekly to well-documented Russian hits by this unit, including the recent murder of a Chechen rebel in a Berlin park. From Wall Street Journal: " The victim, a 40-year-old Georgian who once commanded forces against Russia during a Chechen uprising, was gunned down in a Berlin park on Aug. 23 on his way to a local mosque. Minutes later, German police arrested a Russian man attempting to leave the scene on an electric scooter after he discarded a pistol and silencer."
(www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-says-russia-orchestrated-chechen-rebels-murder-in-germany-11568131176)
Could Germany's fear of holding Russia accountable have anything to do with their energy dependence? They may remember how the Ukranians froze when Russia turned the valves off a few winters ago.
9
@Rick Cowan How is it “meek” to arrest a suspect?
2
@Lawyermom According to the WSJ, German federal police agencies initially refused to get involved, leaving the matter to local law enforcement. "The absence of a German government reaction to Mr. Khangoshvili’s murder has sparked criticism from opposition parties that Berlin is eager to avoid a confrontation with Russia. A spokesman for the German government declined to comment and said the investigation was continuing." The German intelligence agencies have belatedly agreed to investigate the case.
"underscores the degree to which the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, is actively fighting the West with his brand of so-called hybrid warfare — a blend of propaganda, hacking attacks and disinformation — as well as open military confrontation."
Paranoia does not even come close to describing this and the rest of the article. Totally delusional and dangerous, as it seeks conflict. Rest assured that the rest of the world can come up with similar fantasies that depict the US actions and organizations.
I never understood the almost fanatical hatred that US and Brits feel towards Russia, especially the Brits who are in a much closer contact and actually benefit from Russia quite a bit (think London downtown and such).
4
Me. Putin the one and only one foreign leader Trump seems to trust. Face it Republican Trump hates our system of checks and balances. Trump has nothing but contempt for the American Constitution. Trump truly believes he hss the mandate of his god.
As people have said Trump as an existential treat to our political system. Trump and his religions fundamentalist and John Bircher Republicans have nothing but contempt for the liberal democracy that has serves us well for 250 years. I suspect they believe the enlightenment that replace the theocratic autocracies of the middle ages was a huge mistake.
It saddens me 30+% of Americans share his contempt.
11
I'm no expert, but I'm thinking this: If I'm an average Russian guy, I don't think I want a destabilized Europe. I think I want peaceful neighbors, so I don't get bombed or drafted. I think I want prosperous neighbors - they might buy things from me or sell me things I want to buy. They might come visit my country and bring tourist dollars, and I might want to go vacation there.
Russia tearing at its neighbors doesn't do anything for Russia or Russians. It seems like it only helps their rotten leaders.
8
Remember when Trump, walking into a group of assembled national leaders, brusquely pushed one of them aside to clear his path? It was incredibly rude. But the targeting of that shove seemed inadvertent at the time. That man was Montenego's leader. In light of Russia's failed coup attempt in Montengro, is it possible that Trump knew exactly who he was manhandling? And that his animus may have come from a nod from his controller in the Kremlin?
11
How long will it be before Trump tweets out a vigorous denial of this story on behalf of his excellent friend Vlad?
10
What hasn't been said is that ex-Russian oligarchs, living in England, have been using various ex-patriot agents to murder their business rivals. Skripals (ex-patriot agent and daughter were poisoned or self-poisoned. They were found on a park bench. They had small animals, guinea pigs, in their apartment. Elder Skripal hasn't been seen since he was taken to hospital. Hopefully, younger Skripal has found a better way to live.
3
@Analyst
Good grief! Cant you come up with a better story to earn your salary? Guinea pigs in the apartment of the victims of the poisoning? Oh and they poisoned their own selves? etc.
1
The fear and warmongering of the media in this country never ends and is never accurate. The fear history of the US since WW2 is a constant barrage of idiotic claims, disasters, misjudgments, and tragedies. The lives of millions of people in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and hundreds of thousands of Americans have all been sacrificed in the holy name of security. The fact that we are indoctrinated by knee jerk reporting and carping, self-inflated, spineless military commanders and self-seeking politicians is all the accelerant necessary to continue stoking the fires.
Somewhere along the one would think a glimmer of awareness might pierce the stench and gloom and fog and decency would prevail. After every one of these misguided journeys into labyrinths of fear and insecurity another obscure threat appears. One after another after another after another.And the lesson is that this self-destructive history will repeat itself as long as we allow it to rule our lives and blindly accept the miserable garbage we have been trained to lap up from our public trough. But wasn't that the lesson we were supposed to learn from our bipartisan destruction of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia or maybe in Central and South America or certainly in the tortures we've inflicted in Iraq,Yemen,Iran, and by our various outposts in Africa?
Nope! Bring it on!!!
4
Doesn’t seem too hard. Europe is barely holding things together. Heck we are on the edge ourselves.
4
It is worthwhile questioning the sourcing of this article because it is useful to remember that intelligence officials lie as a matter of business.
The article mentions "intelligence officials in four Western countries" and explains the reason for anonymity for one of them. What about the rest? Officials from four countries seems like admirable corroboration. It also seems like a coordinated press strategy. So it is worth asking some questions.
Is this information truly from four separate sources, or are four separate sources all privy to the same original source of information on this unit, which comes from who-knows-where?
Why did officials from four different countries jointly decide to leak this material? If the release of the material is unauthorized by their agencies, why did these officials simultaneously decide to break their professional codes (and perhaps the law)? If the release is authorized, why did these intelligence agencies want to use the subterfuge of leaked material?
I hope the authors had these same questions. The evidence that Russia operates kill squads across Europe has been overwhelmingly reported before, so I don't doubt most of the reporting in this story. I do question how the Times is allowing itself to be drawn into an intentional press strategy by secretive organizations that themselves are responsible for many murders.
5
Trump plays Putin's fiddle while democracy at home and abroad burns, unwilling to take strong steps to counter what Russia is doing, tweeting against and betraying allies while having nothing but warm words for the Russian dictator. We could charitably choose to believe that our president is simply an unwitting foolish tool of Putin. But given the pattern at play here - everything from his refusal to release his tax returns to his refusal to criticize and counter Putin, it's sadly more likely that he's knowingly acting as a Russian asset.
67
@Thunder Road
He owes them too much money to say no to whatever Putey asks.
8
Russia doesn't have to destabilize Europe, all that they have to do is get someone elected or placed in power like they did here in America, simple as pie.
65
@BTO And how do you think that happened? How do you think fake panic on Ebola happened? Birthers? and other nonsense amplified 100X's? How do you think the NRA came into $150M in extra slush funds to attack Democrats? Russian influence in these matters was documented by our various intelligence services and dismissed as 'fake news' by Comrade Trump, who swears he's victim of a "witch hunt."
10
@jwp-nyc
Maybe if Americans got off Facebook and listened/watched actual journalism, it would be more difficult for foreign actors to undermine our elections
1
Meanwhile our Unindicted Co-conspirator in Chief and his enablers on Fox and Congress do everything they can to undermine the US Intelligence Service. Makes you wonder whose side they are on. Actually there is nothing to wonder about.
127
And trump is friends with Putin and thinks he is a good man.
30
Very ominous. Still I seriously doubt they would even consider assassinating our president - he's their prime asset.
16
If you think about Hillary, they kinda did.
1
This Forbes piece ponders whether the Russian cyberattack on our 2020 elections will be too powerful to stop, and that is without any inside help from a corrupt administration that will welcome the attack as the best way to keep Trump out of jail: his re-election.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/09/24/new-cyberwarfare-report-unveils-russias-secret-weapon-against-us-2020-election/?fbclid=IwAR39GPg3u8dRCFuzQLlSgzxs6rIVZuGYnhoaSlkEJaysSTGbfc6aBnCwu34#57f5631168f5
15
The object isn’t to shape the electoral outcome, although that’s a collateral side benefit. It’s to de-legitimize the process so that winning factions are not considered legitimate by losing factions and losing factions can be demonized as having no legitimacy by winning factions. So far, the strategy seems to be succeeding splendidly, aided and abetted by social media, big data and the mobs of the Twitterverse, infatuated with the momentary faux celebrity afforded their personal wit.
6
Quick! Get the President on this!
Oh, wait...
15
Trump wages hybrid warfare everyday. Just like Putin.
6
@mutabilis, yes he does, and it is also against the USA.
3
Trump and his GOP enablers must stand with our European allies against Putnin. But, they have already sold their souls to Putnin.
7
And this is a surprise why ?
10
If anyone has taken a good look at Europe lately, you’d know they don’t need any help with destabilizing. Russian overkill
3
Trump's handlers?
6
I am very curious about what promises were made between Putin and Trump over the last 5-10 years. Perhaps Putin has promised Trump some share of western rule once he, Putin, is able to destabilize the US and Europe.
At any rate, Putin knows he has an idiot he can control, which is why he put Trump in office to begin with. Trump is so dumb about virtually everything, but history in particular, that he has no clue he shouldn’t mess with a former KGB director.
22
Putin ran the Stasi. Now he runs Russia.
Same tactics and strategy: Thugs rule.
13
@R. R.
It was the KGB, not the Stasi. And Putin never ran it, he resigned as a Lt. Colonel.
3
@Eye by the Sea
Konrad Felber, who heads the Dresden branch of the authority overseeing the Stasi archives, told Bild: 'It was hitherto completely unknown that Putin, who worked until 1990 as a KGB agent in Dresden, also had a Stasi passport because he's not listed in the file containing service cards issued to Soviet military personnel.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6482779/Vladimir-Putin-worked-STASI-ID-card-reveals.html
2
And China?
4
They make their point by being visible enough to scare would be adversaries.
The game is creating turmoil and paranoia.
There are so many similarities to how our country is operating now. Except we are being manipulated as opposed to doing the manipulation.
7
In one of the 2012 (primary?) debates, when asked to identify America's most dangerous foreign adversary, Mitt Romney was ridiculed for naming Russia. He was prescient.
I'm not a Republican, a conservative, or much of a Romney fan, but I wish we could trade all of Team Trump for one Mitt Romney right about now...
26
I'd be surprised if we didn't have something of the same sort going on.
6
I would be very surprised if we have assassination teams whose job is to get rid of anyone who angers the president.
While the U.S. engages in cyberwarfare (to slow Iran’s nuclear program,for example) I’d be very surprised if we were using it to attack democracy. I’ve never heard that accusation. (And yes, I know that 45 or 70 years ago Nixon and Eisenhower initiated coups in Chile and Iran respectively. We have laws prohibiting that kind of foreign intervention today).
6
I don't understand the long game for Russia. Putin will die one day , and in his wake is the legacy of kleptomania , mistrust, isolation and an economic basket case.
7
@JL I doubt Putin really cares what happens after he is dead. I would guess he is living for the moment, and being one of the world's richest men he has a lot of moments.
1
Good to have friends like that.
“The Kremlin sees Russia as being at war with a Western liberal order that it views as an existential threat.“
Ah, the irony! When U. S. Conservatives rage against their opponents they frequently resort to age old charges of Progressives and Liberals being Socialists and Communists as if that associated them with a monolithic, timelessness Russian political bloc intent on subverting the world.
The whole time Russia is intent on destroying Progressivism and Liberalism and asserting a new Authoritarian world order, one even more virulent than American Conservatives have the capacity to imagine.
One can be certain that Moscow is highly appreciative of U.S. Conservatives’ naive, unwitting support for and aid to their designs.
24
Boy, I'd sure like to take a look at those tax returns trump promise his base that he'd release over three years ago.
Just to make sure frodo putin isn't calling the shots in the white house.
12
There has always been a thuggish element to the Russian secret services (not that those in the West don't have them too). It's especially brutal now, under the former KGB officer named Putin. It's always a mistake to think that you can lower your guard with this type of regime, they only see it as a weakness.
9
The gangster government in Russia is trying to sabotage and hijack democracies throughout the world through Unit 29155.
The nations of the free world need to unite and stop this Russian aggression by exposing Putin's kleptocracy because he is in deep trouble in Russia.
Putin's popularity is down and his economy is faltering. If the Russian Army starts to support the Russian people, Putin will be taken down.
According to an August 2019 Bloomberg report,
"incomes in Russia have fallen for five straight years because of the persistently low price of oil, Russia’s main export, and the grinding impact of U.S. and European Union sanctions imposed over Crimea."
Also the protests from courageous Russians are going strong.
Unfortunately, Trump and the Republican Congress will do nothing to seriously stifle and counter Putin's attack on democratic nations, including America.
Trump is still praising Putin.
So Putin is free to murder his opponents throughout the world and undermine foreign governments to create more Donald Trumps who are doing nothing to stop this serious subversion of democracies.
Why aren't more media stories written on how Putin and his cronies are stealing billions from the Russian treasury through corrupt financial institutions like Deutsche Bank?
Putin is robbing the Russian people blind while they are passing laws to increase the retirement age for Russians.
Unit 29155 must be exposed, dismantled and its members tracked and arrested throughout the world.
17
If Russia had managed to elect a Russian mole as US president, could he have been any more effective at destroying this country than Trump?
14
It’s not hard to figure out.
If Trump remains, we’ll be under control of Vladimir Putin.
13
@MIMA
We already are. After all, how do you think Trump "won" the election in 2016?
5
America sure has made it easy for them. Wonder how long they've been cultivating their blackmail on the Republicans who once at least pretended to have ethics.
7
I feel like the eyes in the pictures all around are following me now.
1
The current US Presidential Administration and its enablers in the US Senate are crafting a vibrant and healthy enabling environment for Unit 29155’s activities to propagate around the World.
12
The operations we know about were extremely shoddy - the Russians in the Skripal poisonings reportedly used passports with sequential numbers! They allowed themselves to be photographed in Salisbury, twice (on consecutive days). They even (reportedly) left traces of the nerve agent in the places they stayed. No front rank intelligence service could be this amateur. This was surely designed to be obvious, to provoke, and to distract from other, more professional operations.
8
@Nullius This sort of sloppiness isn't unheard of, actually.
See https://publicintegrity.org/national-security/anatomy-of-a-rendition/ for instance regarding a CIA operation in Milan that left far too much evidence behind, or https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/9730669/Khaled-Meshaal-How-Mossad-bid-to-assassinate-Hamas-leader-ended-in-fiasco.html about a failed attempt by Mossad to assassinate a Hamas leader.
I remember when a gang of Russian spies took over the town of Odessa, Ukraine. Putin was testing his limits. The citizens cornered them and set the building afire shooting anyone who tried to escape. Putin called this barbarous. But, he stopped testing his limits in Ukraine. We need to respond likewise against Putin and his gang of thugs.
10
@Rocketscientist It was not a "gang of Russian spies". It was local people of Odessa protesting against the coup that happened in Kiev when president Yanukovich was ousted. By the way majority of Odessians voted for Yanukovich (74%).
If the Russians want to play dirty I say we return the favor. I bet it would be a lot easier to bring Putin to his knees if the US (under the next administration of course) and EU combined their forces. There are already signs that Putin's power is weakening. Time to push him over the cliff.
7
Russia's toolbox is still full and now openly being accessed to destabilize Europe. What they couldn't achieve after WWII with the Cold War, they are attempting now because the United States has no decent leadership in the presidency or in the Senate.
Russia sees a void they can make wider and deeper by a few catrostrophic moves.
The democratic vision fought and died for by so many millions is imperiled.
What will it take for the Senate to wake up and step into leadership with the House and begin governing the United States in a bipartisan manner, recognizing the damage that Trump is inflicting on America and the world at large?
We are truly in danger of losing our freedom. Europe needs a strong and steady United States and as it exists now, we are weak and faltering.
362
@Sparta480
Indeed. Trump has also announced a batch of tariffs on European products, mostly agricultural food, in supposed retaliation for the favoritism shown to Airbus, a completely unrelated industry and a French company. The pressure this might put on countries unrelated to France has potential to contribute to destabilising the EU, along with Trump's championing of Brexit. Who benefits most? Russia.
24
@Sparta480
Really? GW Bush thought he could see into Putin's Soul and Saint Obama famously passed a message to him thru Medvedev that he would have 'more flexibility' after his upcoming ( last ) election but its only now that we have Mr. Trump that Putin is taking advantage?
9
@GregP The difference is that Obama and GW Bush were painfully naive in recognizing the threat Putin poses to the West.
By contrast, Trump is Putin's puppet who does his bidding. At best Trump is just a useful idiot.
The next President, assuming Trump and Putin don't conspire to defraud the US out of its Presidential election again, will need to take an extremely hard stand against Putin. Measures, including kinetic ones, that have not been contemplated in decades will need to be brushed off. Expelling the Russian diplomatic core, and withdrawing the US diplomatic core from Russia, should be just the start of the war against Russia to reclaim the sovereignty of the US and other nations worldwide - especially governments in Eastern Europe.
19
Is it not obvious to everyone by now that the last decade has seen the rise of a level of polarization in every aspect of our society that has never existed before?
There have always been camps and tribes and factions, but generally we have had in the past a greater ability to get over disagreements to at least work together and get something done.
The advent of Social media has provided the Russians and other countries who wish us ill, with a tool that is unprecedented in its reach and ability to spread disinformation.
This coupled with the rise of `combat politics' where winning is everything even at the expense of the fundamental principles on which this great republic was founded, and even the basic morality of universal traditions like the church, have led us to where we are today:
Everything is a transaction, everything a bargain, everything is for sale, regardless of the true price paid by those who are not part of the deal, and the end justifies the means.
The Russians do not care whether Donald Trump is President or whether it is a Democrat. or whether it is Mickey Mouse They just have to feed the flames of dissent, and conflict, and immovable, sanctimonious ideology on which some Americans are already willing to die for, and watch it all burn down.
Donald Trump is not the problem, he is a symptom of the problems that allowed him to rise in the first place. Vladimir, must be very proud of the work he has done, and we have all been duped in the process.
63
"Though an elite force, the unit appears to operate on a shoestring budget."
Since he already has the Trump Organization, the Republican Party and Fox News already working for him so effectively, why would anyone expect Putin to spend much money on G.R.U. operations?
Putin knows where to spend his alternative warfare budget most effectively. If, in fact, Putin is not already fully aware that his work is being done for him.
93
@Robert Henry Eller "Though an elite force, the unit appears to operate on a shoestring budget."
Only because lavish spending could be traced.
2
How exactly does Russia benefit from a de-stabilized Europe? I think the issue is that they want a friendlier set of European governments.
Not that I'm quibbling about the details here -- I presume Russia, like other great powers, plays rough, and I don't approve, obviously.
The grand-strategy question, though, is best divorced from terms like "destabilize"--be objective and concrete.
And, without getting hysterical about whose "fault" this is, as it's shared, let's attend to why Russia would be acting this way, and without reference to innate evil or whatever. There is a history here, after all, and even if you consider Russia an enemy, you must learn to think as your enemy does.
It's not as fun as Good vs Evil but it tends to be more useful.
7
@Doug Tarnopol Simple, revenge for the collapse of the Soviet Union. Westerners wrecked Russia so Russia will wreck the west.
6
@Doug Tarnopol The Russians still smart over the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and Putin certainly sees NATO as a threat to his potential expansions. He could not have asked for a better henchman that he he got in President Trump, whether the latter is witting or not. Right out of the gates, the President attacked NATO and our allies in the treaty. The attempted coup in Montenegro was to impede that county’s adherence to NATO.
9
@Doug Tarnopol
Thinking as they would, it seems pretty obvious. Destabilized Europe and America are far less of a threat, aren't able to oppose Russian operations, Russian influence abroad. It's not about friendly governments, it's about ones that can't stop Russia from taking over other governments at all.
2
The successes of Russian spies owe as much to their training and organisation as to the fact that many in the West have fallen asleep at the wheel. After the end of the Cold War, many military and intelligence budgets were cut and talented people left, plus the West got embroilled in fighting against radical islamists. It is this environement that allowed Putin's Russia to flourish and grow bolder and bolder.
Si vis pacem, para bellum:if you want peace, prepare for war.
13
Putin should focus on the situation in his own country. What good will destabilizing the West bring when there are domestic protests and dissatisfaction?
1
@Thomas G But triggering outrage in the West is perfect for Putin’s domestic troubles, lets him keep the focus on ‘outside enemies’, where he wants (& needs!) it
5
Makes things at home look not so bad after all, providing “credibility” for authoritarianism, aka “leadership”. The worse we look, the “better” they look.
6
@Thomas G
An external enemy, and external victory is always good to quiet down domestic protests and dissatisfaction. It's been what has worked for Russia for a very very long time.
3
The total shame of this is that once upon a time, perhaps 4 years ago, both major US political parties counted be counted upon, in slightly different ways, to oppose Russia. Now the Democrat party still opposes Russia but the Republican party, from its very top, will do anything to support Russia.
30+ years of work to woo the Kurds away from Russia have just been wiped away. What a loss.
28
America has a little program called extra-judicial, targeted drone assassination. Every 12 minutes, someone in the world gets a little surprise that they seldom wake from. From this perch, we can claim the moral high ground.
2
And thank God we have that program. The alternative is to unnecessarily send our fathers, sons, brothers and husbands into harm's way to get rid of some of the worst people on Earth.
4
So we’re blowing up, lessee, 5 drones an hour, 120 a day, 840 a week, 3320 a month, well over 36, 000 a year.
Okay, sure.
5
@Dino Reno
It is far more moral to take out only the head bad guy, than to have our soldiers fight through and kill a bunch of poor saps who just were trying to make a living or avoid getting killed, only to end up unable to get the bad guy, but a bunch of innocents and low level thugs - AND OUR SOLDIERS - are the ones killed.
3
Afghanistan taught Russia that there is a cheaper and less self-damaging way to fight a war.
11
I don't expect it be very long until these folks are tied into the origins of Brexit.
34
Maybe Russia is working to make America's allies abandon their traditional links to America?
Oh no, sorry, it's Trump doing that of course. Funny that they want the same thing, isn't it?
7
Russia is a weak nation, weak militarily, weak economically. This form of warfare is what weak countries, not just Russia, turn to to leverage what power they have. Cyber attacks, poisonings, murders; it should come as no surprise that Russia employs such methods, and that other countries do as well. It's the new form of warfare, waged on the cheap.
11
@jrw
Time to look at Red Note by bill Browder. He talks about jealousy.
2
Very true. Thuggery is the signature of countries that no long matter on the world stage.
2
@Anon, Bill Browder was a grifter and he was shown that outside grifters need not apply, thank you very much, it is very much an insiders' job.
And Donald Trump wants desperately to be friends with Putin. Donald Trump doesn't want anyone—inside or outside of government—to hear his conversations with Putin. Donald Trump has practically handed the occupied portion of Ukraine and Syria to Putin. Congress need to lift the rock of Trump secrecy and see what creatures wriggle beneath it.
18
Russia is clearly trying to destabilize the United States, too. It's frightening that Trump idolizes and gushes over Putin. Wasn't Trump ever warned about playing with fire? Putin will have no trouble burning Trump when he tires of him.
24
Has anybody thought of denying visas to all Russians?
11
@leobatfish
That would stop nothing. Every intelligence agency in the world supplies its operatives with false passports.
4
I imagine Vladimir Putin and his poodle Donald will have a few hearty laughs over the zany antics of those fun-loving characters in Unit 29155.
Only after Trump’s sent his interpreter out of the room, of course.
12
Well, we certainly make it easy for them to destabilize us.
9
Uh oh. Someone in Washington is going to be hard to convince about this.
5
Destabilization. Coups. Assassinations.
An "intelligence system skilled in subversion, sabotage and assassination".
Sounds like our very own CIA - circa 1952-1975.
2
Yep, a long time ago. We have a checkered past, but we now have laws prohibiting presidents from assassinations and coups.
One reason I left the Republican Party was their penchant for this kind of Cold War meddling.
1
Are you naive? Which side are you on? Whatever the tactics maybe be, the point is what side you support - the cause of democracy or the cause of totalitarianism? If it’s the US, and democracy, we ‘re going to have to get a little dirty along the way. Putin wishes to dominate his neighbors. We don’t. Putin runs fake elections. We don’t. He kills his domestic opposition. We Don’t. But we are experimenting with using foreign help to character-assassinate.
Memo to the Democrats- when you get into power impose a ban on all Russians coming here. Better safe than sorry.
11
Sounds like something out of a Tom Clancy novel. I fully expect Putin to interfere in our 2020 election on behalf of Trump.
I say that because Trump seems willing to let Vlad do whatever he wants and just look the other way. Rhetoric from the Dem presidential candidates has been a lot tougher on Russia.
41
In the past we would have been counted on by our allies to help fight this. We now stand by and have essentially joined ours, and their enemies, to help them instead. We cannot stand for this egregious change in our foreign policy and it's abandonment of our allies and it's impact on our national security. VOTE.
497
What on earth are you talking about? Last year the administration expelled 60 Russian spies, closed the Russian consulate in Seattle, stepped up significantly sanctions on Russian officials, and this year leaked to the media a story that it has commenced certain forms of cyber warfare against Moscow.
Hyperbole is never an adequate substitute for logical argumentation.
4
@David H
Nor is a curious omission of facts that significantly undermine your argument.
18
Congress did that, not the administration. The administration has had secret conversations with Putin, palled around with dictators and shared nuclear tech with Saudi Arabia.
40
It’s not surprising that Russia’s GRU’ Unit 20155 is finally showing up in the pages of newspapers. We all knew or strongly suspected that Putin was behind the US election, and destabilizing the US and EU. They are actively causing mayhem in Spain with the Catalan nationalist and independence movement. In Belgium with the Flemish nationalism movement, and on. Did they help elect Austria’s Sebastian Kurtz?
They’re probably playing a role in VP Biden’s son Ukraine swampy -though, at least for now- not illegal relationship.
The link between Unit 29156 and the UK’s Nigel Farage must be published as the UK languishes with its destructive Brexit impasse .
The question is what punishment will this attack receive? Better measures must be developed by the US government, not the private Tech companies, to prevent the main thieves of US tech, namely Russia, China and Israel from getting away with so much. The foreign service and other sensitive government organs must be carful who they recruit to ensure that loyalty is for this country, not others.
333
The “punishment“ about which you inquire will never be made public, for obvious reasons. The fact that this material was published today in the New York Times is the first step in western retribution. Suffice to say it is incumbent upon the United States and the rest of the civilized world to make sure that Russia never, ever develops economically in any meaningful way.The same of course applies to China, another large Potemkin village the tries to fool the west into believing that it is a modern society.
17
@David H As long as Vladimir Putin is the dictator-in-chief, we need not worry that Russia will develop economically in any meaningful way. He hasn't a clue about much except KGB-type tactics, and very little interest in anything else except his own id-driven pathologies. He's a lot like Trump in that way.
19
@Ted Putin played a long game extremely well. Like the Germans going shopping for traitors in Europe in the nations that were targeted for invasion starting in 1939, Russia (whose GNP is the size of Italy's) knew in 2013 that Donald Trump was financially needy and could be turned into an asset, as could the NRA and the power-hungry Republican Party in general. ("Conservative" is a con job.)
The model for this is Vichy France.
29
“I think we had forgotten how organically ruthless the Russians could be,”
The Soviets learned everything they know from the Tsar's brutal security forces, then perfected it further. Why would anyone have forgotten this? We're dealing today with Neo-Soviets, the last generation to live and be trained under the USSR. Sure, the USSR collapsed, but the pieces were put back together and now the Neo-Soviets run the show.
"The Kremlin sees Russia as being at war with a Western liberal order that it views as an existential threat. "
Something else you should never forget. This is an extension of propaganda directly from Lenin who claimed that ALL politics is a never-ending war, and should be fought as such. Paranoid as they are, the Neo-Soviets are not going to change.
“Provocations and outright lies are being used and attempts are being made to disrupt strategic parity.”
The above, spoken by everyone's favorite Neo-Soviet, Putin, is proof of ever-present neo-Soviet propaganda.
Putin is a master of double speak, and the above means that Putin and the Neo-Soviets must provoke and lie outright in order to attempt to keep their disruptions ongoing.
The Tsar was the worst of clueless despots and the Soviet seizure of power made Tsarist Russia look like paradise. The Soviets irreparably destroyed Russian society and culture to the point where Russians today are held in a limbo of hopelessly political and intellectual ignorance while their leaders continue to push thh
43
"Organically ruthless"? Peter Zwacker needs to get an editor. "Ruthless" suffices. And isn't all international politics ruthless?
The Russians may be organically (indeed, genetically) paranoid from their devastation and subordination to the Mongols centuries ago but that is a valid reason to be paranoid. As far as ruthlessness, I see them as no more ruthless than any other nationality.
The Russians are smart and resourceful and seek acceptance on such terms. We should treat them accordingly. I consider them 1st-world thinkers and strategists and they _should_ be mostly our allies. Alas, I am in a minority.
In any case we should _always_ bring them to the negotiating table and _always_ treat them as intellectual equals (indeed, perhaps as masters) with full respect and etiquette. As Machiavelli and Michael Corleone say,"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
4
@MikeK
"but that is a valid reason to be paranoid."
No it isn't.
The 13th century is over.
Is_Some_Sort of _code?_
2
@MikeK
"but that is a valid reason to be paranoid."
No it isn't.
The 13th century is over.
Is_Some_Sort of _code?_
Or does Russian keyboard no have "quotations?"
1
@MikeK "I see them as no more ruthless than any other nationality." Try visiting Costa Rica or Ecuador or Tanzania or Bhutan or . . . . The list goes on. Not everyone is as ruthless as we are, or the Russians, or Chinese or Germans.
Russia is waging war against America's free democratic allies in Europe and elsewhere around the globe while they have a Russian asset in the White House.
The House and Senate in Congress must vote to impeach Trump now to stop Putin and his proxy actor despotic states.
National security and the security of the free world depends on quick and decisive action.
59
So, given this, who doubts why President Trump is blindly compliant with V. Putin? With meetings in plain view that are not recorded? Who doubts that Trump money was loaned thru German and other Euro banks that did business with the Russian oligarch chain that's strangling the Russian people? Who doubts the killings and non-recourse loans financed by oligarchs? Who trusts Putin, Trump, Manafort, Pence, McConnell, Pompeo, or Chuck Perry?
41
I laughed when I read the part about this unit operating on a “shoestring budget.“
The entire country of Russia operates on such a budget. It is a poor, dysfunctional, backward agrarian society Who’s people yearn to leave and which will never become a superpower in the real sense of the word.
And that is the reason why it must resort to efforts to destabilize Western democracies. It has no other way of catching up with the rest of the world.
17
@David H
Have you been to Russia?
You wouldn’t mind riding the subway in Moscow or St. Petersburg.
American astronauts ride Soyuz spacecraft to the ISS.
Russian military equipment is competitive with our own.
I’m no fan of Putin but the hoary description of a “backward agrarian” Russia never did serve our interests.
8
@David H
So true. Those in the know, realize that Russia’s geopolitical situation has always been dire. With a short growing season on land in the same latitude as Main, they barely feed their people. Since the Soviet Union collapsed, their empire has contracted to the equivalent of the time period when the Muscovites ruled. Without ports and vast, formidable barren land, they struggle to control their satellites even while employing brutal, authoritarian rule. The non Russian peoples in the remote, sparsely populated areas starve, to feed the inner city Russians.
The truth is that even if the United States were split into separate countries, both countries would still have military and economic superiority over Russia.
Even with Trump in Putin’s pocket, Russia will always be playing catch up to the West.
Russia placing some facebook disinformation to TRY and help Trump, probably.
Russia swaying a US election... total nonsense.
I’ve been to St. Petersburg - you could smell the fear, the oppression in the air.
4
We shouldn't expect the current administration to protect us. Trump wants to make money in Russia, much as the NBA wants to make money in China. One might also recall George W. saying he looked into Putin's eyes, and "saw that he was a good man".
15
Trump is making it unnecessary for this unit to exist.
24
“The Kremlin sees Russia as being at war with a Western liberal order that it views as an existential threat.”
Wondering which way Trump supporters lean; with the Kremlin or the Western world order.
22
@Dorothy
If 'liberal' is the operative word no matter the context, then they will follow Trump.
Remember when Putin and Trump were holding casual press conference and Putin said liberalism is dead and Trump sat there like a big dummy nodding his head in agreement? We know what Putin was taking about, Trump thought it was related to California.
12
We have something similar in this country which we call the CIA.
3
@Edwin Yeah but the CIA has never tried to assassinate or topple a government.
2
@Tony Hester I will take that as a "wink wink, nudge nudge." If you are actually serious I would like to encourage you to read some 20th century Latin American history.
3
That might be partially true if you were talking about 45 years ago. There’s no comparison today.
I think it’s high time we saw the transcript between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.
59
@Hanging
and all the calls to Vladdie that got stored on the top secret server.
1
@Hanging
Didn't Trump ask the translator to turn over the only record of that conversation? Not likely that any record
of that conversation will surface.
1
These operations are sponsored by and under Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump's good friend. Trump should be careful about accusing Members of the US Congress of treason, a crime carefully defined in the US Constitution. Which he may never have read.
14
Trump wants Russia back with the G7, with the seizure of Crimea and a few assassinations forgiven and forgotten. And now our Kurdish allies, who helped us defeat ISIS, are betrayed with a phone call and another narcissistic tweet.
All fine with the GOP, as long as they get tax cuts for the rich and corporations, voter suppression, guns everywhere, shutting down women’s clinics and denying climate change until cities are flooded and people are literally blown away by storms.
Have they no shame??
22
Mitt Romney’s comments in the 2012 presidential campaign about Russia being the greatest threat to the U.S. were prescient.
31
@Riley Payne
Not really. Romney was looking thorough the lens of a businessman and how doing business there for non-Russians and even Russians is lawless and fraught with danger. What he meant was "Russia is the greatest threat to US corporate dominance...."
Romney also projected something along the line of 45% of US citizens don't pay taxes. I think he was talking about himself and his fellow corporate "peoples" and their offshore hiding places for their untold, unearned fortunes.
3
Wouldn't it be nice if we had a president who took this kind of threat seriously and didn't live in a state of ignorant bliss? "Putin? I trust him more than my own intelligence services." God help us. Make America Vote Again.
29
Deja vu when one remembers that iconic classic, both the book and movie, From Russia With Love. Has there been any doubt that Putin hungers for global domination and will stop at nothing to achieve his goal? His tentacles reach far and wide. Where we need to be concerned is right here in these United States. Putin has his man, his puppet ready and willing to do his bidding. His name is Trump. Putin had this corrupted, weak, egomaniac targeted for years. What better way to win control than to appeal to those without moral compasses? Who better than to place an amoral buffoon in the highest office in the land? Putin is an evil genius. This parasite can only sustain himself by eating away the souls and minds of the vulnerable. And he almost has the Grand Prize. Almost, but hopefully not quite yet.
18
Lets call it Terrorism!
Vladimir V. Putin, is actively fighting the West with his brand of so-called hybrid warfare — a blend of propaganda, hacking attacks and disinformation — as well as open military confrontation.
6
It occurs to me that Vladimir Putin envisions a world where WE stand in line for bread.
10
@Jim L,
...and the kochs (there are still three alive) feel the same way.
2
Their biggest success has been to seek the election of an agent (or stooge, not clear which) to our highest office and to convince 35-40% of us that his goal is to make America great again.
463
No doubt. Even with an endless focus on how trump uses fox and other means to brainwash his base they still repeat the same discredited propaganda. They claim endlessly that democrats are socialists who want to confiscate all guns. Or that we want to open borders to everyone who shows up. They claim that we want to provide universal healthcare (I wish) and forgive all student loans. Which they also claim will bankrupt the nation. They say climate change is a democratic hoax meant to control the population by taking away jobs, or the internal combustion engine and coal fired power plants. Every absurd claim is spewed daily on fox and friends, some of whom are these nefarious Russian actors. They paint all democratic criticisms as propaganda that invalidates all our claims while promoting their own absurdities as true fact. We’re in a rotten situation that Russia only makes worse. They’ve got human waste all over their faces and lips and they don’t even mind that it tastes like - - i t .
11
One can speculate there were earlier attempts for destabilization: for about a year around 2014 government ministers and businessmen meeting at the high-end Warsaw restaurants were illegally recorded by waiters using military grade devices. The Russian secret services, angered at Poland's tough stance in support of Kiev and aiming for the destabilizing the central Europe most likely were the originator. The scandal has damaged Mr Tusk's government, and paved the way for a populist, anti EU government which is now in power.
16
Remember the old term, "brainwashed?" Are we witnessing the American public and administration so unaware of threats such as these Russian operatives that we will succumb to their mischief?
We seem to know more about sports and our electronic devices than we do about world dynamics and intrigue. Have we so let down our guard and not realized that our government is here to protect us, and be a force for democracy?
The answer seems dire.
24
The United States is surrounded East and west by two vast oceans and friendly neighbors to our north and south.
Americans simply do not understand the need to understand the enemy. 
17
@David H
Good point!
So, I wonder by what means might we increase the need to understand. Would seem to be a good basis upon which to build foreign policy.
1
At a time like this, it would be great to have a President that was actually on America's side.
346
@Bill Camarda Agreed, but Trump is a lost cause. Personally I think he's nuts.
We should all pivot our attention to the Republicans in the Senate. Trump's love affair with Putin, whatever the cause, threatens America's national security. For how long are the Republicans in the Senate going to turn a blind eye?
How can we make sure America never forgets that the Republican Party is willing to sell our safety to Satan in exchange for avoiding a primary challenger?
42
@Bill Camarda
Actually Mr. Camarda, it would be great to have a President that was actually on Amercia's side since January 20, 2017.
6
@Bill Camarda Yes, we could be in Romney's second term, if only we had heard his warning that Russia was the largest geopolitical threat.
Instead we got another 4 years of Obama, with red lines crossed and greater flexibility post election.
We turned away a good man, and we truly deserve Trump for doing so.
2
The US should be the main opponent to Putin's plan to destabilize Europe and the North America.
But since 2016 Russia has the best ally they have ever imagined: the President of the United States of America.
34
Top secret? Secret from whom? This is common knowledge to the even the most casual observer - although I guess could be news to the trump administration.
16
Good thing that we are on top of this activity and it only took a decade to put the pieces together.
14
From the Russia-Trump nexus before and through 2016, to Trump attacks on the U.S. intelligence community for sounding alarms on Russian threats to national security, to Trump’s pro-Russia policies, to Trump’s secret talks with and unseemly deference to Putin, to Trump’s KGB propaganda tactics and messaging - Trump walks, talks and acts like a Russian asset.
Russia helped elect him and appears to be doubling down for 2020 - aided by Moscow Mitch, the Russia-funded NRA and other Republican sycophants.
It’s that bad and needs to be seen for what it is: treason in plain sight.
82
@JB - I've been reluctant to go there re/asset, but after this stunt with Turkey, I'm beginning to think he is. That his increasing defiance of the law seems more out of spite and daring rather than fear of losing in 2020, also has me thinking he might know something we don't, as in "gettin' by with a little help from my friends"...
4
Given this information, it's not only possible that Putin has something on Trump; it's probable that he has something. Very probable.
63
@Taz What with Trump's extramarital affairs background, his failed businesses, his inability to pay his debts, his possible money laundering, his secret talks with Putin, there is a bunch of embarrassing stuff Putin probably has on Trump.
3
And the Russians are donating large sums to our civic institutions to portray Russia as a great country.
8
It's a good thing that the men controlling the political side of our intelligence and security apparatuses are all 75-year-olds who don't know how the internet works.
11
Russia has successfully destabilized the U.S., so it’s no surprise they want to do it elsewhere.
31
Quite simply, this is the foreign enemy. Also, quite simply, our internal enemies are Trump and his administration.
22
This also explains the peculiar Facebook posts otherwise sensible people keep "sharing" on their sites.
8
In the words of Walter Sobchak, "say what you want about the tenants of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos". While that quote was addressing the merits of nihilism, it's equally applicable to today's Russia. They're no longer exporting an ethos and are seemingly devoid of any kind of mission statement. They are a rudderless, international Gollum, hardwired for mischief and self-enrichment.
5
Thank you NYT for shedding light on how diabolical Putin's Russia truly is. The term the author uses, "hybrid warfare" is on target and this is where our defense budget should be allocating resources to combat this insidious plague.
15
If our enemy's plan to destabilize and destroy us includes promoting the presidential candidate you support, you may want to re-examine your assumptions.
9
And in recent news, Trump is withdrawing the US from the Open Skies treaty, which helps us to keep an eye on the USSR - oops - Russia from the air. Do I doubt the contents of this article? I do wonder why they would bother, with Trump in the White House.
11
I can’t erase from my memory the photo of Trump meeting with the Russian ambassador and an official Russian “photographer”... that infamous closed-door tête-à-tête where Trump was the only American in the room... and all three men are smiling broadly. Or the photos of Trump, beaming, in the presence of his bff, Putin. Should we not all be horribly frightened?
58
This may be the most important story to date linking together all the chaos in Europe and the Trump / Russia issue.
It underscores the grave threat that a clueless ignorant narcissist in the White House with no checks on his power and a spineless GOP backing him up for personal gain presents to democratic ideals and global security.
Impeachment can’t come soon enough.
25
They already did destabilize Europe. They drove Brexit.
55
If the Kremlin wanted to cover their tracks, they would. The reason some of these poisonings and hacks were so poorly covered up is because they want us to know it's happening.
Their goal is to make us think our democracy is weak, and that Western Europe is fading. Hacking the 2016 election with verifiable proof that it was the GRU just laying around isn't an accident on the Russian's part. It's their plan.
10
There is only one country on the planet that still maintains by force a colonial empire....Russia. They razed to the ground Grozny the capital of Chechnya as a lesson to all the other ethnic territories of Eurasia and Siberia to let them know that they would do the same if they try to break up the ethnic Russian dictatorship over their lives. Putin understands that if liberal democracy continues to grow across the globe that empire (more than twice the land mass of any other country) would be in jeopardy. Thus, they are killing what they view as the external threat to their internal cold war.
6
Once a rogue nation, always a rogue nation.
7
For an "elite" unit, they sure had a lot of failures.
4
And this is why the Republican enablers of Trump, and by extension enablers of his shadow foreign policy based on lunatic conspiracy theories, will go down in history as unpatriotic self-serving cowards.
Russia is a threat to America's national security interests. Period.
But whether it is because the Trump Family Syndicate (after numerous bankruptcies) started raking in money from Russian oligarchs, or whether it is because Putin owns Trump for some other reason, or whether Trump refuses to believe that Russia interfered to get him elected because Trump is insane--whatever the reason, there is overwhelming evidence that Trump refuses to protect America and Europe from Russia.
And Mitt Romney is the only Republican Senator with the patriotism, decency, and integrity to object to this sorry state of affairs? Wow.
How is the Republican party ever again going to claim to be the party that is strong on national security?
26
And just think, Trump believe Putin. ~ He said he didn't do {whatever} and I have no reason not to believe him ~ What does that tell you about Trump? What has Putin promised him?
9
One of the units most effective arms is in the White House.
9
Good to know. So, what's the name of their unit targeting the U.S.?
3
All their operations failed. Their chief has a cheap car. Putin said smth about their "legendary" operations. So what's the conclusion? Should someone fear them? Seems that there is no logic in this article
1
This is not news and has been going on for decades, only just now coming to full flower with the advent of electronic media and the rise of the doofus POTUS and nationalism across the Western nations.
It can only become more successful.
4
John Le Carré’s novels coming to life in the 2nd Cold War!
2
Remember when Mitt Romney called Russia our most serious security threat and Obama got huge laughs and plaudits for quipping that, "the '80s called ... they want their foreign policy back?"
Doesn't seem so funny now, does it?
6
This is a No-duh! Of course, Russia wants to destabilize the West and they seem to have a friend in DC they can count on. We have a president whose trust in our intelligence communities is nil or suspicious & who makes no bones about conducting meetings with Putin in private. If there is a witness they are silenced & their notes destroyed. It is right out in the open for all who care to see, see. One might as well walk around with blinders on if one can’t see the one tree on the plain.
7
Why would anyone think that Russia is not intent on destabilizing the West? The most obvious is Russia's weaponizing of the Syrian population - driving them from their homeland into Turkey and Western Europe.
Their efforts in elections have managed to win over the hearts and minds of US rural conservatives - the very people who spent decades fighting the Soviet Union.
The efforts of this unit are just a small cog in the Russian machine.
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@John Yes — it’s completely obvious and has been for several years that Russia is interested in destabilizing the West and NATO. Out of chaos grows opportunity— its own, for increased wealth and (autocratic) power.
Let’s also remember that it used its propaganda to promote Brexit and weaken the UK, and funded the NRA in the US to harden our internal divisions.
6
Russia has a long history of conducting foreign operations against its opponents. Probably the most famous incident was the brutal assassination of Leon Trotsky, Stalin's chief adversary, in Mexico. Also, one must remember the very real fear of foreign interference that the Russian leadership uses as a justification for their foreign adventures. Paranoia is the normal state of affairs for the Russian elite.
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And they have successfully imported their special brand of paranoia, along with installing the current President.
5
Cyber attacks and the "hybrid warfare" described in this article are the real way war is fought now. It's nice to have multi-billion dollar aircraft carriers etc., but they don't mean much when you can't even figure out if it was sabotage or not, how it was done, or who did it.
And if "Western officials" were as ignorant of these efforts as the article suggests, we have a real problem. Furthermore, I would be surprised and alarmed if we did not have an analogous group or unit doing the same thing. If not, our government is seriously behind the times and we are at risk.
30
The former KGB is alive and well thanks to one of its most skilled and resourceful agents, Vladimir Putin. Mr. Putin has decried the fall of the Soviet Union and its prominence in the world. He has very successfully tapped in to the feelings and yearning for Russian nationalism and will use any means necessary to put Russia back on top of the world again, including seeking to destabilize individuals, businesses and countries. Our intelligence and security services must never take their eyes and ears off Mr. Putin, or the prizes he seeks.
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For me, personally, I've felt exacerbated that the Cold War USA I grew up in seems to have forgotten that Russia is not our friend, to put it mildly. I did not need this revelatory piece of top-notch reporting to know that Russia has been conducting a new Cold War with the West for a decade. Their means range from secretive cyber operations to planting misinformation on social media to driving a sea of immigrants into the EU by bombing civilians in Aleppo, all of it behind a wall of denials and propaganda.
But, if the proof of a "concerted program of activity" by newly revealed Unit 29155 to destabilize our values, democracy, and security begins to convince a few US conservatives that Putin is using them as an unwitting Fifth Column, please keep these articles coming!
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Same here. I remember the "Duck and Cover" drills we used to do in case of nuclear war (as if hiding under your desk would help!). Today, similar drills are done; except they are for "mass shooters".
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I believe the ‘greatest democracy in the world’ should lead the fight against Russia’s destabilizing efforts in democracies.
And I’d say that’s still us.
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@Dorothy That won't happen as long as an irrational person is holding the presidency hostage with the support of GOP senators.
7
That title belongs to Germany and they are not stupid - especially when it comes to Russia - and are doing what they can about his.
6
The article details a major threat to global security and to American national security. Russia is a country with a third-rate economy and a second-rate military, but with superpower memories and aspirations. But regarding American politics, this issue--Putin's outlaw regime and KGB mindset--is a gift for Democrats.
If I were a Democrat running for president, I would be linking together Trump and Putin every chance I got--that Russia is a world menace, that Trump is Putin's pet poodle, that Russia is trying to meddle in our elections, that Ronald Reagan would be shocked at our foreign policy, that anyone truly a conservative must be appalled at we bow down to whatever Putin wants.
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@Richard I would add that the Russian military is second rate but has enough nukes to destroy the planet a few times over.
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@Richard Its not just conservatives who are shocked. Any red-blooded American is too.
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@Richard I despise Reagan with the passion of a thousand suns for how he weakened our democracy and planted the seeds of the current Republican party, but I will give him this much: to my knowledge, he was never a puppet for a foreign power.
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Lucky there aren't getting help from a senior western politician.
Oh! But they are!
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I assume you mean Obama. The activities have been going on for a decade.
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@Sydney Kaye
He might gum up the works.
@Sydney Kaye
Several, not just the donald but, for the last decade, I'll-make-Obama-a-1-term-president-MoscowMitch, the NRA, and on.
Who knows, maybe even the Heritage and Federalist societies. Has anyone looked into the latter? Might be interesting.
9
Never underestimate Putin who said, "The greatest tragedy of the 20th century was the fall of the USSR". The Russian bear is always hungry
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@thezaz I'd like to believe that Russian dreams of power a la the former USSR are ludicrous, and that Russians don't want anything to do with that again. Same for other countries and peoples. Alas, there is then the real world, aka "human nature." So, I suppose that some Russians really want to disrupt the "western democracies" rather than join with them to help forge a happy future based on mutual respect and cooperation. Unfortunately, this kind of "human nature" animus is also personified by our very own current U.S. president with his obsessions with competing nationalism vs. global cooperation, "who's on first" calculations, and simpleton "winners" vs. "suckers" view of the world. And we haven't even taken into consideration here the readiness, or resistance, of other players like China and the Muslim Middle East to see the world in any other terms. It's the same old story. What fun.
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@thezaz
Does anyone believe that we are now better off under Putin than we all would have been if Gorbachev stayed in power?
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These are the people Trump ‘believes’ over the CIA and FBI. Could it be clearer that Trump is an GRU asset?
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Asset in a way that there are no tasks for him since he cannot deliver, he is supported because of the disruption he creates.
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No. It cannot be clearer.
I have been saying that Russia destabilized our nation since folk starting shouting at each other online about HRC and pedophiles!
No one believes it and it is utterly obvious.
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@T "Could it be clearer that Trump is an GRU asset?" No!
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“They want to be felt. It’s part of the game.” Here, too. And it’s working well.
I don’t know what the solution to this Russian espionage is, but I do know it begins with accountability, and that begins with Trump impeached and sent to federal prison, and the likes of Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell out of office and fleeing angry hecklers at restaurants.
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@Keef In cucamonga
The new tactics by Russian FSB/GRU trolls is not to make publicity for Russia as a paradise on earth but rather say, yes there are issues, but US is equally bad or worse.
Just give us an example of CIA/FBI killing journalist, throwing acid on journalist or dissidents or courts sentencing anti Trump demonstrators for anything from 3 to 7 years of concentration camps or just systematically beating up demonstrators in Washington.
Get real .
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@Servus
US is equally bad or worse? You have misread your history. Russia was responsible for the death of 40 million of it's citizens and 20 million Ukrainians.
What you have implied however, is accurate - that Russia is at war with the USA. When democrats return to power through democratic elections in the USA, Trump/Putin are going to find that the full weight of the most powerful nation on the planet for revenge will be more than uncomfortable.
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@Keef In cucamonga --- Bring back James Bond!!!
1