Val @nyt gives us two paragraphs to mull.
Actually, Mr. Prigozhin became widely known in western intelligence circles in 2014 following Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine that year. He also helped manage Russia’s operation to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election that gave us Trump.
Thanks to Prigozhin, intelligence chiefs in United States, UK, Middle East and Europe today know lots about Russia’s state-sponsored assassination programs. Kremlin agents routinely roam throughout Europe, North America and Africa stalking their targets and killing them. A little has been done to address the problem since Russia’s failed attempt to decapitate Kyiv in February 2022. Too little.
A timeline illustrating the sad state of affairs.
Russia’s lines of defense in the southern direction have not collapsed under the weight of Colin Kohl’s Mountail of Steel ($43 billion dollars worth of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine), but this could happen soon, unexpectedly.
In other news, Catholics around the world are shaking their heads after the latest lame comments about fascistic Russia’s genocidal campaign made by Pope Francis.
It takes a special kind of stupid to say what the Pope said, much less think it. We consign the leader of 1 billion+ to the smelly sock drawer.
On the domestic front, Z gave an one-hour weird and fawning TV interview to Наталія Мосейчук (@1+1), who dilligently reposted bits of it on her Instagram page.
It’s probably better for guests in Ukraine not to criticize the commander-in-chief during war. Z didn’t say anything overtly moronic. His plan is to isolate Crimea and start talks with Russia about demilitarizing the penininsula. Just give us 92 F-16s. The timetable is variable.
Do you really think Zhenya is dead? Such a rookie mistake with leadership in the same plane occurred? Suspect he's either on a slab, in Libya or undergoing extensive surgery. What do you think? You know so much more than I do.
Would love to go back to Chimay someday with you and enjoy the monks, beer, bread and cheese.