Dead Drop: March 17

“LORDY, I HOPE THERE ARE TAPES”: That phrase, made in an entirely different context, was the first thought that came to mind when we heard reports that the U.S. had blamed two Russian SU-27 fighter jets of causing the loss of a $32 million MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea. The U.S. European Command said the Russians “dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless and “environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner”. Boy, accusing the Russians of behaving in an “environmentally unsound manner” must really sting. Of course, the Kremlin’s claims were entirely different, blaming the drone for creating a provocation and denying that their planes physically came in contact with the Reaper. The U.S. European Command eventually released a 43-second, edited video clip of the incident showing an SU-27 apparently dumping fuel on the Reaper and seemingly, bending the drone’s propeller. we are looking forward to the Russians releasing their own video which will probably make the SU-27s look as innocent as QAnon Shaman “peacefully touring the Capitol” on January 6.

OLIGARCH BINGO: It’s hard to keep up with the list of Russian oligarchs who are coming down with mysterious diseases, falling from high windows or otherwise turning up dead.  The Suntabloid is struggling to keep track and published a list of 39 oligarchs and other officials who may have made an untimely exit from the planet with an assist from Team Putin.  Among the latest was billionaire Sergey Grishin, 56, who last made headlines by selling his California mansion to Harry and Meghan of British royalty fame. The reported cause of death for Grishin was “sepsis” but observers note that he had recently criticized Putin, which can cause an infection all its own.