Dead Drop: June 2

WHALE TALES: Loyal Dead Drop readers will remember that a little over four years ago, we told you about a Beluga whale that showed up off the coast of Norway wearing a harness that contained mounts for GoPro cameras and a piece of gear labeled “Equipment of St. Petersburg.” Speculation at the time, was that the Russians intended to use the whale for spying missions but that the plus-sized marine mammal had decided to defect. Well, the whale is back in the news – turning up off the coast of Sweden.  Of course, lots of young Russian males have been leaving the country lately – so the whale, dubbed Hvaldimir by the Norwegians, may have just beaten the rush.  There is also speculation that his recent reemergence just means he is searching for a mate. In any case – he seems quite friendly – unlike the orcas that have lived up to their name of “killer whales” by attacking and sinking boats recently, off the coast of Spain. Maybe they’re just mad they can’t find mates.

SPEAKING OF DEFECTIONS:  Tara Reade, a former U.S. Senate aide who, during the 2020 presidential campaign, accused President Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her 30 years earlier – an allegation the President strongly denied – showed up in Moscow this week, and announced that she had made the “very difficult” decision to defect to Russia. Reade has requested Russian citizenship and says she now feels “very surrounded by protection and safety.” She made her comments sitting alongside Maria Butina, who was convicted and jailed in the U.S. for working for Russian intelligence. Reade apologized to her “Russian brothers and sisters” because of the aggressive stance that American elites are taking against Russia.