Russia's at it again

[Wednesday at Stoke]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...sia-ecuador-embassy-london-secret-escape-plan

 

[Raoul]

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[GloryHunter07]

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They can just get new passports no?

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

They can just get new passports no?

Any country they've visited will have their biometrics on entry and the old passport number. Considering most EU and US agencies share immigration information, they're probably labeled everywhere now.

 

[Raoul]

Whoever is running the GRU passport department may want to avoid starting their car in the near term.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

I don't know if its an old tale or real but there was an incident where some EU agency tried to infiltrate Russian intelligence and they found out the passports were fake because they were stapled with high quality metal. So details matter in the spy game.

 

[Red Dreams]

After we get rid of this Russian agent, we need to start a little war with the Russians.

They are no match for us.

 

[GloryHunter07]

Any country they've visited will have their biometrics on entry and the old passport number. Considering most EU and US agencies share immigration information, they're probably labeled everywhere now.

Interesting, thanks!

 

[Hammerfell]

Whoever is running the GRU passport department may want to avoid starting their car in the near term.

Probably safer to never start a car again.

 

[Grinner]

How on earth does that passport number story leak? Surely the intelligence agencies would have wanted to keep that top secret so they could track the agents.

 

[The Firestarter]

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I think there are far worse intelligence blunders than this. But it is amusing, nonetheless.

 

[Raoul]

I think there are far worse intelligence blunders than this. But it is amusing, nonetheless.

I think they mean in terms of procedural blunders, not cases where the intelligence was just completely wrong.

 

[The Firestarter]

I think they mean in terms of procedural blunders, not cases where the intelligence was just completely wrong.

Yeah, I did not mean that either.

 

[Red Defence]

Two Russians, against whom Swiss law enforcement officers have opened a criminal case, already worked in Holland. They were exposed during a joint operation by the British, Dutch, and Swiss special services in The Hague in March this year, shortly after the chemical attack in Salisbury. Counterintelligence agents do not cover the details of the operation; they do not disclose the identity of the Russian spies. Swiss and Dutch press informed that they worked in the Russian embassy in Holland, they were suspected of having links with the GRU, they have been seized with equipment by which they could penetrate the computer network of the chemical laboratory. Presumably, they were caught hot on their way to Spiez. For some reason, the Dutch authorities did not attract Russians to justice. In late March, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the government's decision to expel the two Russian intelligence officers who worked in the Russian embassy in response to a chemical attack in Salisbury.
https://112.international/article/country-of-spies-the-swiss-twist-in-the-skripal-case-32500.html

Seems that the two Russian spies who were caught trying to break into the lab in Switzerland were employees in the Russian embassy in the Netherlands. They were deported (? diplomatic immunity) and presumably are now receiving a spying refresher course.

 

[Grinner]

It's interesting how sloppy Russian spies have become since the Cold War.

 

[Adisa]

It's interesting how sloppy Russian spies have become since the Cold War.

Stakes are lower I guess.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Stakes are lower I guess.

Surveillance, the ease of sharing intelligence and computer system hacking makes it a lot easier to find out what these folks are up to as well.

Russia think it still is the Cold War era by the looks of things.

 

[Red Defence]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-45641867

Abramovich apparently refused residency in Switzerland. Resident visa not renewed in the U.K.

Putin’s oligarchs are not finding things going their way.

 

[Pexbo]

It's interesting how sloppy Russian spies have become since the Cold War.

I think it’s a combination of:

1. Sheer volume. They’re throwing as much shit at a wall as they can and seeing what sticks. Because...
2. The consequences are laughable.

 

[Raoul]

I think it’s a combination of:

1. Sheer volume. They’re throwing as much shit at a wall as they can and seeing what sticks. Because...
2. The consequences are laughable.

Ultimately Putin understands that the only way he will survive will be to disrupt democracy elsewhere so that it never reaches his front door. If it does, he knows he will likely be overthrown and killed Qaddafi style.

 

[Red Defence]

I think it’s a combination of:

1. Sheer volume. They’re throwing as much shit at a wall as they can and seeing what sticks. Because...
2. The consequences are laughable.

You’re too kind...they’re just low grade unprofessional operatives. Poorly trained and over confident.

 

[Pexbo]

You’re too kind...they’re just low grade unprofessional operatives. Poorly trained and over confident.

Is that not exactly what I alluded to?

 

[Red Defence]

Is that not exactly what I alluded to?

Didn’t think so but if you did...great!

 

[The Firestarter]

Ultimately Putin understands that the only way he will survive will be to disrupt democracy elsewhere so that it never reaches his front door. If it does, he knows he will likely be overthrown and killed Qaddafi style.

No, that won't happen . He is not terrorizing the common folk like Qaddafi did.

 

[Raoul]

No, that won't happen . He is not terrorizing the common folk like Qaddafi did.

That doesn't matter. He has similar dictatorial qualities and will eventually go down in similar ways.

 

[Pexbo]

Didn’t think so but if you did...great!

Aye, to be clear I meant that the quality, caution and discretion that they once insisted on is long gone. They’re happy to use dispensable lower grader operatives now and in higher volume who are encouraged to take more risks because the rewards are high and the consequences are low.

 

[The Firestarter]

That doesn't matter. He has similar dictatorial qualities and will eventually go down in similar ways.

For that to happen , the economic conditions there need to deteriorate very rapidly. And that is just a necessary but not sufficient condition.

 

[Red Defence]

Aye, to be clear I meant that the quality, caution and discretion that they once insisted on is long gone. They’re happy to use dispensable lower grader operatives now and in higher volume who are encouraged to take more risks because the rewards are high and the consequences are low.

Ah thanks, I see...well it’s late and I’ve just watched United mess up another match so my mind’s not at it’s best.

 

[Red Defence]

Navalny let out of jail and arrested again. An offence to be in opposition to Putin.

https://abcnews.go.com/Internationa...alexey-navalny-russian-jail/story?id=58038103

 

[harms]

Navalny let out of jail and arrested again.

I think it's important to note that he spent about 10 seconds as a free man before getting back again. Trumps even the infamous Gerrard cameo.

I don't even like the guy but you can't have nothing but respect for him for constantly risking his personal time, health, freedom and comfort for the things he believes in.

 

[Raoul]

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[Raoul]

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[Red Defence]

https://news.sky.com/story/netherlands-disrupts-russian-cyber-operation-11517080

4 more Russian agents caught by the Dutch and deported for attempting to hack various institutions. Spies used to be much more advanced than this when I was a kid.

 

[Rams]

It’s been a bad couple of months for the Russian intelligence services, which does bring their professionalism in to question. I guess this is a consequence of what happens when you have the mob run a country; lack of discipline and professionalism. Which also makes you wonder about just how strong its military is in reality and how much they really support Putin’s government. I would be interested in reading more about the relationship between their government & military commanders. I imagine on the one hand the military will be supporting the government because of the increased investment in the military (to put this increased investment in to context it’s still tiny compared to what the US spends on its military), but they’ll also be more than wary of dealing with the devil; ironically from history the Russian military should know full well what the consequences can be of having a morally corrupt government...

You have to sympathize with the general Russian civilian population because it’s actually a fascinating & friendly (if slightly melancholic) country run by a bunch of gangsters.

 

[Raoul]

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[Henrik Larsson]

I guess this is a consequence of what happens when you have the mob run a country; lack of discipline and professionalism

It's very true. Just like the Russian amateurism displayed when the Dutch intelligence services hacked 'Cozy Bear' a couple of years ago.

More concerning is the amount of damage they can do despite being properly organized and lacking professionalism though. This sums it up:

"The Americans were taken completely by surprise by the Russian aggression, says Chris Painter in Washington. For years, Painter was responsible for America's cyber policy. He resigned last August. 'We'd never expected that the Russians would do this, attacking our vital infrastructure and undermining our democracy.'"

https://www.volkskrant.nl/wetenscha...ssia-s-interference-in-us-elections~b4f8111b/

I mean, seriously?

 

[Eboue]

they got to Lawrence Tribe

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[Rams]

It's very true. Just like the Russian amateurism displayed when the Dutch intelligence services hacked 'Cozy Bear' a couple of years ago.

More concerning is the amount of damage they can do despite being properly organized and lacking professionalism though. This sums it up:

"The Americans were taken completely by surprise by the Russian aggression, says Chris Painter in Washington. For years, Painter was responsible for America's cyber policy. He resigned last August. 'We'd never expected that the Russians would do this, attacking our vital infrastructure and undermining our democracy.'"

https://www.volkskrant.nl/wetenscha...ssia-s-interference-in-us-elections~b4f8111b/

I mean, seriously?

The more unprofessional they are, the more damage they can do.
I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility to expect a military coup in Russia in the not too distant future.

 

[Red Defence]

they got to Lawrence Tribe

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Who did?

 

[Eboue]

Who did?

Putin. Kompromat