RAISING THE RUSSIAN ARMY: We’ve heard some extravagant promises from military recruiters before – but those wanting to come up with more volunteers for the Russian armed forces have taken it to a higher level. According to a piece by Julia Davis in The Daily Beast, some of Putin’s apologists, such as Artemiy Vladimirov, Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church, are telling potential enlistees that if they get killed in Ukraine – not to worry – they will be resurrected. Would he lie? The arch promise from the Archpriest is not a one-off. Major General Apti Alaudinov, commander of Chechen forces, is said to have assured folks (as The Daily Beast puts it) that “Russia’s war against Ukraine will lead to the second coming of Christ.” This is quite a promise – especially considering the Alaudinov is himself – a Muslim. Other Russian TV talking-heads are telling viewers that “death does not exist,” which – no doubt – is quite comforting.
BLITZKREIG AND ROY – While denying the existence of death seems a bit comical (especially in light of all the contrary evidence that the Russian army has provided in recent years) it is by no means the only foray into the fanciful for Putin’s forces. The BBC says that the Kremlin is relying on “war-themed comic books” to push propaganda on Russian youths. The defense and education ministries are reportedly distributing thousands of comic books, created by Oleg Roy, a prominent Russian children’s author, to schools in Russia and in Russian-held Ukrainian territory. The publications provide short stories about the heroic service of Russian fighters – and tout the “humanity” they show in dealing with their Ukrainian foes.
YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP – PART INFINITY: Russian President Vladimir Putin rolled out the red carpet to give actor Steven Seagal Russia’s “Order of Friendship.” Seagal, a big supporter of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was once a B-list American actor, and last year, declared himself “one million percent Russian.” Seagal’s grip on international relations is apparently as good as his grip on math. He made remarks at the event where he declared that “Before the special operation, Ukraine was known for human trafficking, organ trafficking, narco trafficking, child sex trafficking, biochemical warfare labs, fascism, and Nazism.” This, of course, is one million percent nonsense.
WHEN COLONELS GO ROGUE: Media accounts say that Russian agents infiltrated President Volodmyr Zelensky’s security detail last month in an attempt to assassinate Zelensky, Ukrainian spy chief Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, and other senior officials. Two colonels who were part of the State Guard of Ukraine – sort of a Ukrainian Secret Service equivalent – were arrested on charges of conspiring with the Russian FSB. Some accounts suggest that the plot was intended to be “a gift” to Vladimir Putin tied to his inauguration in early May.
LIFE IMITATING ART: Remember the 2002 Steven Spielberg/Tom Cruise science fiction movie “Minority Report” about “PreCrime police” who foresaw future crimes and arrested people for things they might do in years ahead? Well, the future may be now in Russia. We noticed a press report about Ruslan Suleimanov, a Crimean citizen journalist, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison because of his “predisposition to defection and violence.” Imagine how long a sentence he might have gotten if he had actually done something.
PROBABLY JUST AN OVERSIGHT: Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News was first to report that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has named two controversial members to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI.) The new members are Congressmen Ronny Jackson (R, TX) and Scott Perry (R, PA.) Jackson, who is a doctor and was a Navy rear admiral – emphasis on WAS – since his retirement rank was downgraded to captain following a DOD IG investigation that substantiated allegations of improper conduct as a White House physician. Perry had his phone seized in 2022 by the FBI as part of the Special Counsel’s investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. It is unclear what, if anything, will come from that investigation – but now that Perry will help provide oversight over the FBI – maybe he can find out.
BOOKS ON THE HORIZON: Here are a couple forthcoming books that might be worth keeping an eye out for. One is called “The Last Secret Agent: The Untold Story of My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Enemy Lines.” The author’s name alone sounds like a selling point: “Pippa Latour.” The book has already been released in Australia but will be published in the U.S. by St. Martin’s Press next year. Latour settled in New Zealand after World War II and told her story to Kiwi journalist Jude Dobson before Pippa died in 2023 at the age of 102. Also, forthcoming is “The Landscape of Power: How Geography Shapes the Fate of Nations” by Johns Hopkins-SAIS professor Hal Brands. Norton will publish that one. We’re not sure when but know that “Geography” is down the road.
RITTER ATWITTER: According to the X (formerly Twitter) account of RT (formerly Russia Today) former U.N. weapons inspector, convicted sex offender and Putin fan-boy Scott Ritter was prevented from returning to Russia on Tuesday, when his passport was seized at a U.S. airport. Ritter says he was heading to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum when U.S. Customs and Border officials stopped him and told him they were acting on orders from the State Department. Ritter later appeared remotely on Vladimir Solovyov’s Russian TV program complaining that the State Department was trying to ruin his reputation – something Ritter had pretty much done himself long ago. While Ritter was spun up about it – Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, didn’t seem to be. Perskov was quoted by The Daily Beast as suggesting it was no big deal saying that reining in travel “is practiced in almost all countries in relation to former intelligence officers.” Perhaps a compromise can be found. Maybe U.S. officials would let Ritter go if he promises not to come back.
SHAMELESS (SELF-PROMOTION) An inside look at what’s going on at The Cipher Brief:
AWARD-WINNING CAMPAIGNING: No, no one at The Cipher Brief is running for president but the independent, nonpartisan, news organization did roll out a campaign last year, aimed at educating Americans about both the sneakiness and effectiveness of disinformation campaigns titled The Disinformation Threat to America. Apparently, people really liked it because the video – produced in collaboration with Smetzer Associates, The Trust in Media Cooperative and Wienot Films, just won not one – but TWO Telly Awards. What’s a Telly Award? An independent award that honors excellence and video across all screens. The Cipher Brief’s second production, Disinformation: A Weapon to Destroy Democracy follows up the first video with a play-by-play on how disinformation campaigners get inside your head.
POCKET LITTER: Dead Droplets and bits and pieces of interesting /weird stuff we discovered:
STRAIGHT POOP FROM THE PENTAGON: On several occasions in the past, The Dead Drop has highlighted cheeky questions asked at Pentagon press briefings by Task & Purpose reporter Jeff Schogol. In the latest of the series, Schogol seized on reports that North Korea had taken to sending balloons over the South carrying packages of human waste. He asked deputy Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh if the U.S. had any plans to reciprocate and send American poop across the 38th parallel. You will be relieved to know – the press corps was assured that there are no such plans.
AIR DROP YOUR BEST STUFF ON US. BY WHICH, WE MEAN NEWS TIPS. SEND THEM TO: DeadDrop@theCipherBrief.com
