DRY YOUR TEARS: It’s been a tough week – amid a tough year for the mothers of Russian soldiers killed during the Kremlin’s (planned three-day) military adventure in Ukraine. The Moscow Times reports that a prominent Russian social network known as VKontakte has blocked an ad run by “the Council of Wives and Mothers” because they criticized Vladimir Putin for excluding them from a recent meeting. At the meeting, Putin reportedly told those who were invited that “we share your pain.” The meeting was scheduled to coincide with Russia’s Mother’s day. Meanwhile, there was a report that some mothers of Russia’s fallen were awarded a set of matching towels following their loss.
MAYBE VLAD WILL LISTEN TO THIS MOTHER: Alina Kabaeva is a former Russian gymnast who is believed to be the not-so-secret lover of Vladimir Putin. The person once known as “Russia’s most flexible woman” is reportedly having her arm twisted by friends who want her to go see the father of her four children and ask him to stop the war in Ukraine. Doing so would require some travel since Kabaeva and kids are said to currently reside in a Swiss chalet near the French border. According to the New York Post, more than 50,000 people have signed a petition urging Switzerland to give the woman, dubbed the “Russian Eva Braun,” an order to depart the country. Maybe she can stick the landing in Moscow.
FALSE ADVERTISING: We know this will come as a shock, but you can’t always believe everything you see in advertisements. For example, there reportedly are Russian military recruiting billboards featuring the image of a unnamed pretty young woman who has subsequently been identified as Sasha Grey – an American “former porn star” whose head has apparently been photoshopped onto the body of someone wearing a Russian military uniform. Grey insists she has not changed sides.
SUDDEN DEATH: The foreign minister of Belarus died suddenly last Saturday – according to local officials. The Belarussian announcement made no mention of why 64-year-old Vladimir Makei left the planet. It is a sign of the times that the unexpected passing of a top adviser to one of Russia’s few remaining allies would immediately raise suspicions. Makei was about to meet with his Russian counterpart at the time of his death. While supportive of the Kremlin, CNN notes that Makei had also expressed support for a “friendly approach” to Ukraine.
GRU GUEST HOUSE: The folks at Bellingcat have done their typical excellent excavation of news to find fascinating facts. In the latest example, they look at the Russian husband and wife team (Sergey Skvortsov and Elena Koulkova) recently arrested in Sweden for allegedly spying for Moscow. It seems they were registered as the owners of a flat in Moscow that also happens to be the building where one of the Skripal attempted murder suspects lives, and the home of Major General Andrey Averyanov, head of a GRU unit connected to multiple assassinations and poisonings. Jeez. Tough neighborhood.
DAD ALWAYS LIKED YOU BEST: For the second time in recent days, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un prominently displayed his daughter (apparently named Ju Ae) at public events. Korea-watchers believe she is about 9 or 10 years old. Kim first took his daughter to observe an ICBM launch and then days later, to another event with missile scientists. Daughter, like dad, seems to be well-fed (unlike many of their countrymen). North Korean news accounts referred to her as her father’s “most beloved” or “precious” child. She reportedly has an older brother who has not been rolled out in a public appearance yet. Exactly why her father decided for these very public “take your daughter to work days” and why her brother didn’t get similar treatment, is unclear. Experts speculate it may have some hidden meaning relating to succession planning but right now – the rationale is a mystery. Maybe she is just into rocket science.
DRESS FOR SUCCESS: The annual Army-Navy football game is coming up in Philadelphia on December 10th. It’s one of those games where you “throw out the record book” which may be a good idea since the Midshipmen currently stand at (4-7) and the Black Knights only slightly better at (5-6). In recent years, it’s been a game where you throw out the old uniforms and field specially designed ones. This year, the Naval Academy has announced that they will don “astronaut themed” unis. The selection makes somewhat more sense than would be apparent at first blush. In a press release, USNA noted that 54 Annapolis grads have gone on to become astronauts – more than any other institution. Meanwhile, USMA has opted to wear World War II themed uniforms. As part of their explanation, they note that they are honoring soldiers who went to war – via the sea. No matter what team wins on December 10, the real winners may be the merchandizers who are already selling knock-off versions of the unforms for the Army – Navy battle.
POCKET LITTER: Dead Droplets and bits and pieces of interesting /weird stuff we discovered:
YE GODS THESE GUYS ARE CRAZY: It has come to our attention that “Ye,” the BS artist formerly known as Kanye West, may be several fries short of a Happy Meal. This week, he was on some podcast (briefly before storming out) defending his previous antisemitic comments – and then went (further) off on a rant about how he had been mistreated by Adidas and “Zionism from the fashion world where they used this plant named Gabby who is obviously some kind of CIA agent who knows nothing about fashion…” But wait, there’s more. Also this week, Info Wars wacko Alex Jones launched into an on-air rant about how the U.S. government is developing “self-replicating nano-bots” (tiny robots that conspiracy theorists think may destroy all life) and that “The CIA is running a take-over of America.” Somebody should tell Alex that an insanity defense will do him no good in his (already lost) civil suits.
PLANT SOME (LEGIT) NEWS TIPS HERE: So that we can fashion the next edition of The Dead Drop. Send items you spot that we can replicate to: TheDeadDrop@theCipherBrief.com.
