NOW, THEY TELL US: Remember right before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine (to distinguish it from the 2014 Russian invasion of Ukraine) when Kremlin officials were saying there was no invasion imminent and that their troops were just conducting military exercises? And then after that when they said this “special military operation” was just about protecting some Russian-speaking people living along the border of Russia and Ukraine? Well, that was then. Now Dmitry Medvedev, who is deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia and a former Russian president, is telling his countrymen that all of Ukraine is certainly Russian and that the so-called Ukrainian leaders are brainwashing their own people to think otherwise. In a video captured by Russia Media Monitor Julia Davis, Medvedev gleefully quotes Vladimir Putin as saying that “Russia’s borders don’t end anywhere”. Wearing a spiffy Nehru jacket and reading from a tablet, he blamed the current unpleasantness on the Americans saying, “Wherever there are Yankees, expect trouble.”
MORE DEAD AND MISSING RUSSIANS: For the past couple editions of the Dead Drop, we’ve had items on Russian defector Maxim Kuzminov who appears to have been murdered by Putin henchmen in Spain. A recent Wall Street Journal article focused on the whole range of Russian “businessmen, bureaucrats and political figures” who have turned up dead since the invasion. There have been mysterious deaths in London, Puerto Rico, Cuba and elsewhere. Putin is known for holding a particular animus toward those he sees as traitors. The WSJ cites a time when Putin was asked at a press conference if he planned to hunt down defectors to which he responded: “Whatever they got in return, those thirty pieces of silver, they will choke on them.” According to the Journal, the Ukrainian tradecraft protecting Kuzminov might have left a little to be desired. When the Russian pilot decided he wanted to leave Ukraine for Spain, he was reportedly given a Ukrainian passport with the pseudonym Shevchenko – the name of the founding father of Ukrainian identity. It was like giving him an American passport with the last name: “Washington.”
DUMB FOUNDED: Just when you thought there couldn’t be anything more stupid than Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guard airman who gave away national secrets to impress his gaming buddies – a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel now working as an Air Force civilian allegedly said: “hold my beer.” According to a Department of Justice press release, a 63-year-old man from Nebraska has been indicted for allegedly passing classified national defense information via a foreign dating website to someone who claimed to be a female living in Ukraine. The accused’s pseudo-girlfriend referred to him in messages as her “secret agent” and “secret informant love.” Jeez, was there any hint that you might have been used here? If he is eventually is convicted the man might get off a little easier than the 16-year sentence that Teixeira agreed to. The 63-year-old man is accused of only giving away 'Secret' rather that 'Top Secret' information – but you kind of expect better from someone with more years in uniform than Teixeira has alive.
THEY DON’T MAKE PLANES LIKE THAT ANYMORE: An article on a website called TheAviationGeekClub.com talked about how the Air Force predicted that it would take six years to develop the aircraft that became known as the U-2. But the project was taken over by the CIA’s Richard Bissell who, working with Lockheed engineer Kelly Johnson, delivered it in slightly over one year. Lockheed had been awarded $3 million for the project but eventually refunded $2 million to the government. They don’t make government contracts like that anymore either.
SEEMS ONLY FAIR: A couple of weeks ago, The Dead Drop had an item about an update to Navy uniform regulations and practices – which now allow sailors to stand around with their hands in their pockets. We see the U.S. Air Force has also weighed in with some updated regs of their own. Apparently, the services are trying to appeal more broadly to Gen X, Gen Z (or whatever part of the alphabet we are on now) to make service life a bit less – well, militaristic. Among the USAF changes are new rules allowing installation commanders to declare Child Development Centers as “no-hat, no-salute zones.” It seems they don’t want anyone carrying a toddler to drop the kid while attempting to snap off a salute. There are also a bunch of picayune changes to things like the size of a logo allowed on purses and gym bags and such. Previously, the Air Force made changes allowing certain neck tattoos on airmen. The updated rules give a detailed look at what colors of fingernail polish are allowed. And, like the Navy, the Air Force also promulgated new regs on the length of eyelash extensions (allowed for female members only.) The Air Force says the extensions must “not exceed 14 millimeters in total length or touch the members eyebrow.” That is the same length the Navy allows. We still want to know who is going to go around and measure them.
BY THE BOOK: The Cipher Brief publishes lots of reviews of books by and about military service (check out the review this week of Bubbleheads, SEALS, and Wizards for example. Such stories may inspire you to sit down at your computer and bang out the story of your time in uniform. But before you do – you might check out an article in Military.com which lists “7 Things to Consider Before Writing a Book About Your Military Service.” There is a lot of good, practical advice – that would also apply to intelligence community veterans and others thinking about sharing their war stories. Among the considerations: Are you the right person to write this book? And (essentially) who will want to read it?
TIP OF THE SPEAR: March is “Women’s History Month” and the National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations is using the occasion to remind folks of the short documentary produced by the OSS Society a couple years ago called “The Tip of the Spear: From Virginia Hall to Gina Haspel.” You can catch the 15-minute flick here.
TIP OF THE CAP: You may remember a Cipher Brief book review and podcast last year about journalist Liza Mundy’s book The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA. Now comes word that Lionsgate Television has optioned the book to develop it as a scripted TV series. The fictionalized TV version, according to Deadline, would involve a newly trained female CIA officer on a counter-terrorism mission who ends up getting help from legendary female predecessors who had “spent decades safeguarding the free world by fighting communism, terrorism and the toxic culture of their own renowned spy agency.” Folks experienced in the ways of Hollywood caution that just because a project gets picked up for development as a TV series or motion picture – does not mean that it will eventually make it to the small or big screen.
POCKET LITTER: Dead Droplets and bits and pieces of interesting /weird stuff we discovered:
GOLF CARTS MAKE SUB-PAR TANKS: Back in December, The Dead Drop told you about Russia buying a bunch of Chinese all-terrain vehicles to use in Ukraine. The buggies, which look like heavy duty golf carts, have now entered the battlefield and, as you might imagine, going to war in a golf cart is not a great idea.
SHAMELESS (SELF-PROMOTION) What's new at The Cipher Brief:
DEBUNKING MYTHS ABOUT THE CIPHER BRIEF: It was probably inevitable that, as The Cipher Brief became more and more successful and well-known among the cognoscenti, a variety of urban (and suburban) myths would develop about the publication. Today, we thought we would debunk a couple of them. First, we often hear the theory bandied about that The Cipher Brief was the invention of former senior CIA officer (and current Cipher Brief expert) John Sipher. While John has made contributions to The Cipher Brief over the years, (and will again next week when he is a panelist on a Subscriber+ virtual briefing about Conspiracy Theories & How They Impact Intelligence) we can assure you that IF John had invented The Cipher Brief – he would not have spelled in with a “C.” Also, while we are at it – pay no attention to others who spell it: “The Cypher Brief.”
Next, we have the subject of branded gear. We can confirm, as The Cipher Brief has become increasingly popular, steps are being taken to offer loyal readers the opportunity to purchase select items of clothing, gear and such with The Cipher Brief logo emblazoned on them. Merch – as it is called these days. But – there are no plans to offer TCB branded underwear – in other words: No Cipher briefs.
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