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☆ Wagner Group leader and ex-convict Prigozhin has lost the respect of Russian prisoners who now think he's a 'traitor,' activist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian prisoners have now turned on the Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, an activist said. Prigozhin, an ex-convict, was once popular among prisoners and recruited thousands to fight in Ukraine. SOme prisoners rioted in support of his short-lived mutiny and were disappointed he called it off. Olga Romanova, the head of the Russia Behind Bars prisoners' rights group, said that prisoners feel "depressed" and "apathetic" and view Yevgeny Prigozhin as a traitor. The Wagner Group recruited thousands of prisoners to fight in Ukraine in exchange for freedom after completing their service.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Olga Romanova, Romanova, Wagner, mutinying Wagner Organizations: Wagner Group, Service, Russian, Reuters, Russian Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Defense Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Moscow, Belarus, Rostov, Leningrad

☆ Analysis: How Michael Flynn went down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

When you have General Flynn and Sidney Powell suggesting somehow the military should indeed seize voting machines. As we say in the podcast, Trump called him publicly at a recent conference in May, where he vowed to bring back Mike Flynn again, implying that Flynn would be part of his national security team. WOLF: Do you have any insight into how this kind of conspiracy theory fever afflicts a person? Why does it happen to Michael Flynn and not retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who I learned from your podcast was a mentor to Flynn in Afghanistan? From intelligence work to conspiracy theoriesWOLF: You talk in the podcast about encountering Flynn in his previous line of work – somebody involved in the intelligence community.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Michael Flynn, Patrick Byrne, Giuliani, Powell, Flynn, Byrne, Jack Smith, Peter Bergen, ”, who’s, Smith, WOLF, “, ” He’s, President Trump, Mike Flynn, It’s, Covid, Stanley McChrystal, Richard, Hofstadter, ” There’s, that’s, You’ve, they’re, Vladimir, Putin, That’s, Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Locher, Osama bin Laden Organizations: CNN, … Prosecutors, Trump, Twitter, New, Apple, Spotify, White, Defense Intelligence Agency, World Economic, Army, State Department, Republican, New America, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Black Panthers, Puerto Locations: New America, Bergen, BERGEN, Washington ,, United States, America, Davos, Switzerland, Afghanistan, Russian, Ukraine, Bedford , New Hampshire, New York, Miami, Puerto Rican

☆ The Kremlin is purging the military in a search for traitors after the Wagner mutiny: reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Kremlin is searching for traitors in the Russian military, a report said. It comes after the Wagner mercenary group launched a mutiny aimed at toppling military chiefs. The Kremlin believes the rebellion may've had broader military backing. According to Washington DC-based think tank The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a well-sourced Russian military blogger claimed that "large-scale purges" had been launched of Russian military commanders and that the Russian Ministry of Defence is currently undergoing a "crash test" for loyalty. Prigozhin claimed to have extensive backing for his mutiny among Russian military members, but wider backing for the rebellion did not materialize on Saturday.

Persons: Wagner, —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Viktor Zolotov, Sergei Surovokin, Surovikin, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu Organizations: Kremlin, Service, Washington DC, Russian Ministry of Defence, Financial Times, Russian, New York Times Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Rostov, Moscow, Belarus

The commander of the Russian air force Sergey Surovikin and the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin have not been seen in public in days as questions swirl about the role Surovikin may have played in Prigozhin’s short-lived mutiny. The Russian air force commander Sergey Surovikin (left) and the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin APWhy is everyone talking about Surovikin? Prigozhin meanwhile, played the central role in the short-lived insurrection – it was he who ordered Wagner troops to take over two military bases and then march on Moscow. Putin assembled Russian security personnel in Moscow Tuesday, telling them they “virtually stopped a civil war” in responding to the insurrection. Prigozhin was last spotted leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don Saturday, after abruptly calling off his troops’ march on Moscow.

Persons: Sergey Surovikin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Surovikin, “ Surovikin, ”, Alexey Venediktov –, –, Sergey Markov, Surovikin’s, “, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s, Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Don Saturday, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Peskov, ” Peskov, Mikhail Gorbachev, , Joe Biden, Josep Borrell Organizations: CNN, Moscow Times, Russian Telegram, Baza, Yevgeny Prigozhin AP, New York Times, PMC Wagner, Russian Ministry of Defense, Kremlin, Street, Belarusian, General Staff, Defense, Ministry, Washington DC, Jamestown Foundation, Russian Aerospace Forces, Human Rights Watch, Union’s, Foreign Affairs Locations: Kremlin, Russian, Moscow, Rostov, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Minsk, St . Petersburg, Ukraine’s, Afghanistan, Syria, Idlib, ”, Brussels, Dagestan, Derbent

☆ A top Russian general knew Wagner was planning an uprising, NYT reports, suggesting an even deeper threat to Putin's power
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian general knew of Wagner was planning a rebellion against Putin, the NYT reported. Sergey Surovikin is a top commander in Russia's military, who led the invasion until he was demoted. Per the NYT, US officials want to know if others in the military considered joining the uprising. US officials are trying to find out whether General Sergey Surovikin — dubbed "General Armageddon" by Russian media — also helped plan the rebellion, according to The Times. Gerasimov and defense minister Sergei Shoigu are wildly unpopular among Russia's military.

Persons: Wagner, Putin, Sergey Surovikin, —, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Sergey Surovikin —, Vladimir Putin's, Prigozhin, General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Sergei Shoigu, Prigozhin's, Surovikin, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, New York Times, The Times, Times, General Staff, Russia's Ministry of Defense Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Belarus, Russia's

☆ WSJ: Wagner boss planned to capture top Russian defense chiefs
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin planned to seize two of Russia top military officials when he launched a short-lived mutiny on Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing Western officials. Prigozhin’s plot involved the capture of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top army general Valery Gerasimov when the pair visited a region along the border of Ukraine, the WSJ wrote. Wagner mercenaries took control of a key military base in the city of Rostov-on-Don, and his troops were approaching the Russian capital when Prigozhin called off his mutiny. There has been speculation about the role of senor Russian commanders as the mutiny got underway on Friday night. Viktor Zolotov, the director of Russia’s National Guard, claimed Monday that senior Russian officials knew of Prigozhin’s plans for a rebellion because people close to the Wagner boss had leaked them, Russian state media agency TASS reported.

Persons: CNN — Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Prigozhin, Wagner, senor, Sergey Surovikin, “, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s, ” Surovikin, Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin’s, –, Viktor Zolotov, Zolotov, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko Organizations: CNN, Wall Street, Western, Federal Security Service, New York Times, Russia’s National Guard, TASS, British, NATO, Russian Ministry of Defense Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Rostov, Prigozhin, Russian, Belarus

☆ Wagner's chaotic attempt at armed rebellion is starting to (kind of) make sense
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Kieran Corcoran | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Wagner's aborted rebellion in Russia over the weekend was a chaotic mess that ultimately failed. That's the question anybody following the chaotic attempt by the Wagner mercenary group to stage a rebellion in Russia last weekend probably asked themselves. Prigozhin bailed on his plan, sent everyone home, and headed off to some kind of retirement in Belarus. The soldiers wouldn't need to look far for a motive: widespread hatred for defense minister Sergei Shoigu and army chief of staff Valery Gerasimov. Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov (L) and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in late 2022.

Persons: Wagner's, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, —, Wagner, Alexander Lukashenko, Associated Press Lukashenko, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Mikhail Metzel, Sergei Surovikin —, Gerasimov —, Surovikin, Putin Organizations: Service, Prigozhin Press, Associated Press, The New York Times, Times, Russian, Staff, Russian Defence, Sputnik, The Times, Shoigu, Street Locations: Russia, Rostov, Moscow, Russian, Belarus, Ukraine

“As Secretary Mayorkas has said, the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, was a violent assault on our democracy,” the spokesperson said. In a statement to CNN, the FBI said it worked with law enforcement agencies to share information before and during the Capitol attack. And yet it seemed as if our intelligence agencies completely dropped the ball,” Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who chairs the committee, told reporters on Monday while previewing the report’s findings. Over 1,000 people have been charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack, nearly a third of whom have been charged with assaulting police that day, according to the Justice Department. These findings undercut a key criticism from Republicans who, in seeking to whitewash the Capitol attack, have often claimed law enforcement targeted conservatives in their open-source searches surrounding the insurrection.

Persons: ”, Donald Trump “, Trump, Trump’s, ’, “, Mayorkas, ” Sen, Gary Peters, Biden, Jan, Peters, ” Peters, “ We’re, Jack Smith, Jennifer Moore, “ yep Organizations: CNN, Capitol, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Senate Homeland Security, DHS, of Intelligence, Trump, “, DC, U.S, Michigan Democrat, Justice Department, Senate, Republican, Washington Field Office

☆ US gathered detailed intelligence on Wagner chief’s rebellion plans but kept it secret from most allies
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Natasha Bertrand Alex Marquardt Kylie Atwood Kevin Liptak | Natasha Bertrand | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Washington CNN —US intelligence officials were able to gather an extremely detailed and accurate picture of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plans leading up to his short-lived rebellion, including where and how Wagner was planning to advance, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. But the intelligence was so closely held that it was shared only with select allies, including senior British officials, and not at the broader NATO level, these sources said. Ukrainian officials were not told about the intelligence in advance, either, officials said, due primarily to fears that conversations between US and Ukrainian officials might be intercepted by adversaries. There were also signs that Wagner was stockpiling weapons and ammunition leading up to the rebellion, CNN has reported. “It’s an internal Russian matter,” the official said the Ukrainian officials were told, echoing what US and other Western officials have said publicly.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s, Prigozhin, Prigozhin’s, ”, Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Democratic Sen, Mark Warner of, “, “ Putin, ” Warner, Putin, –, Monday Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, British, NATO, Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Russian Ministry of Defense, European, Democratic, Senate Intelligence, Kremlin, ” Locations: Rostov, Moscow, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, Mark Warner of Virginia, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Russian Belgorod

☆ Russia pulls back from brink of crisis after deal reached to end Wagner insurrection
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Sovfoto/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Putin poses for a picture with his wife, Lyudmila, and daughters, Yekaterina and Maria. Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images Putin rides a horse during a vacation in Southern Siberia in August 2009. Alexey Nikolsky/AFP via Getty Images Putin judges an arm wrestling match while visiting the Seliger youth educational forum in Russia's Tver region in August 2011. Dmitry Astakhov/RIA Novosti/AFP via Getty Images Putin plays with his dogs Yume, left, and Buffy at his home in Novo-Ogaryovo, Russia, in March 2013. Chris McGrath/Getty Images Putin and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attend the G20 summit in Buenos Aires in November 2018.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ” Prigozhin, ” Wagner, ”, Dmitry Peskov, “, Prigozhin, ” Peskov, Putin, Putin Putin, Joseph Stalin, –, “ Putin, Evelyn Farkas, ’, Vladimir Putin, Maria Putina, Archivio GBB, ZUMA Press Wire Putin, Laski, Maria, Vladimir, Anatoly Sobchak, Lyudmila, Yekaterina, Boris Yeltsin, Yeltsin, Fidel Castro, Reuters Putin, George W, Bush, Stephen Jaffe, Camp David, Brooks Kraft, Alexey Druzhinin, Alexey Nikolsky, Mikhail Metzel, Ivan Sekretarev, AP Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, Dmitry Astakhov, Buffy, Angela Merkel, Jochen Lübke, Thomas Bach, Medvedev, Vladimir Konstantinov, Alexei Chalyi, Sergei Aksyonov, Sergei Ilnitsky, Kirill Kudryavtsev, Alexander Lukashenko, Merkel, Francois Hollande, Petro Poroshenko, Mykola Lazarenko, Barack Obama, Ban, Chip Somodevilla, Turkey Andrei Karlov, Karlov, Donald Trump, Chris McGrath, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, LUDOVIC MARIN, Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelensky, Eliot Blondet, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Biden, Sergey Lavrov, Denis Balibouse, Macron, Sergey Ponomarev, Mikhail Gorbachev, —, Alexander Nemenov, Alexey Danichev, Xi Jinping, Pavel Byrkin, Pavel Bednyakov, Peter Zwack, Beth Sanner, ” Sanner, “ He’s, … Putin, Moscow’s, Priogozhin Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Communist, McCain, Putin, Getty, Russian, ZUMA Press, KGB, ZUMA Press Wire, Getty Images, Reuters, US, White House, Camp, Brooks, Brooks Kraft LLC, RIA Novosti, AP, AFP, International Olympic, Crimean, Ukrainian, United Nations, UN, Assembly, Russian Foreign Ministry, Sputnik, World, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Macron, SPUTNIK, New York Times, Central Clinical Hospital, AP Putin, Belarus, State Russian Museum, Russia’s Southern Military District, US Army, National Intelligence for Mission, State Department, European Union Locations: Moscow, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Kremlin, Russia’s Belgorod, Putin Russian, Russian, Rostov, St . Petersburg, Leningrad, Germany, AFP, Kazan, Cuba, Soviet Union, Southern Siberia, Russia's Tver, Novo, Ogaryovo, Hanover, Sevastopol, Crimea, Belarusian, Minsk, France, Turkey, Helsinki, Finland, Buenos Aires, Ukrainian, Paris, Geneva, Switzerland, Taganrog, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, –, Canada, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, Soviet, Kazakhstan

☆ US officials saw signs Prigozhin was planning challenge to Russian military but surprised by rapid escalation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Natasha Bertrand Alex Marquardt Jim Sciutto | Natasha Bertrand | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

US and Western intelligence officials saw signs that Prigozhin was making preparations for such a move, including by massing weapons and ammunition, one Western intelligence official and another person familiar with the intelligence said. Prigozhin had vowed Friday to retaliate against Russian military leadership over an alleged strike on a Wagner military camp and claimed control of military facilities in two Russian cities. A European intelligence official told CNN that the “temperature had obviously been building,” but few could have predicted what Prigozhin was planning. It is not clear to US or European officials how far in advance Prigozhin was planning the rebellion. One source familiar with Western intelligence said it appeared that it must have taken at least several days to organize.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin’s, ”, Putin, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken’s, Blinken, Matthew Miller, “, Stringer Stringer, Kamala Harris, Adam Hodge, Lloyd Austin, Brig, Pat Ryder, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Zelensky Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Intelligence, Ukraine, House, European Union, Foreign, Commonwealth, Development, ”, Southern Military District, REUTERS, Reuters Biden, National Security, US, Pentagon Locations: Russia, Moscow, Russian, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Japan, United States, Ukraine, Britain, Rostov, Don, Poland

☆ No direct evidence COVID started in Wuhan lab - US intelligence report
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Dan Whitcomb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 23 (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence agencies found no direct evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic stemmed from an incident at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, a report declassified on Friday said. "The Central Intelligence Agency and another agency remain unable to determine the precise origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, as both (natural and lab) hypotheses rely on significant assumptions or face challenges with conflicting reporting," the ODNI report said. The report said that while "extensive work" had been conducted on coronaviruses at the Wuhan institute (WIV), the agencies had not found evidence of a specific incident that could have caused the outbreak. U.S. President Joe Biden in March signed a bill declassifying information related to the origins of the pandemic. As of March 20, four other U.S. agencies still judged that COVID-19 was likely the result of natural transmission, while two were undecided.

Persons: WIV, Joe Biden, Biden, Christopher Wray, Dan Whitcomb, Rosalba O'Brien, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Wuhan, of Virology, National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, coronaviruses, Wall, U.S . Energy Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, Wuhan, United States, Beijing, China

☆ US has closely monitored power struggle between Prigozhin and Russian government for months
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stalled earlier this year, top American officials said they saw indications of tensions between the Kremlin and the Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. Russia’s domestic intelligence service opened a criminal case against Prigozhin after he appeared to cross a red line with the Kremlin on Friday. Prigozhin, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, vowed to retaliate against the country’s military leadership after accusing Russian forces of striking a Wagner military camp and killing a “huge amount” of his mercenaries. In January, a top White House official said Wagner was becoming a “rival power center to the Russian military and other Russian militaries.” Officials suggested at the time that Prigozhin was working to advance his own interests in Ukraine instead of the broader Russian objectives. At the time, US intelligence officials deemed the Prigozhin meeting as significant enough to include in one of Biden’s daily briefings, sources said.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Gen, Valery Gerasimov, Vladimir Putin’s, Joe Biden, Adam Hodge, ” John Kirby, Putin Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Wagner Group, Officials, House, Pentagon, Russian, Russia’s Ministry of Defense, National Security, White, ”, Wagner, West Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Prigozhin

CNN —The US intelligence community still believes it is plausible that Covid-19 originated in a laboratory or in the wild, a conclusion that has been consistent for months, according to newly declassified information released Friday evening. And almost all American intelligence agencies also assess that the virus itself was not genetically engineered, the report states. “Most agencies assess that SARS-CoV-2 was not laboratory-adapted; some are unable to make a determination. All IC agencies assess that SARS-CoV-2 was not developed as a biological weapon,” according to the ODNI report. US intelligence agencies remain split over whether it resulted from a lab leak or occurred in the wild.

Persons: ”, WIV Organizations: CNN, National Intelligence Locations: Wuhan, China

CNN —When President Joe Biden referred to his Chinese counterpart as a dictator late Tuesday in California, the response from Beijing was swift and angry. Whether the new acrimony further derails a “thaw” in US-China ties, something that Biden has openly hoped for, remained an open question. “He didn’t know about it,” Biden told donors. Biden and Xi last met at a G20 conference in Bali. “You just saw what’s happened in Italy in that election,” Biden told the donors and Democratic officials at a Washington, D.C. fundraiser.

Persons: Joe Biden, ”, Biden, Xi Jinping, ” Biden, –, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Blinken hasn’t, Blinken’s, “, John Kerry, Xi, Donald Trump, John Kirby, Kirby, “ We’re, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: CNN, White, Democratic, APEC, Biden, Mar, National Security, Japan –, New York City Locations: California, Beijing, China, Marin County, “, –, Washington, India, Bali ., San Francisco, United States, Australia, Japan, Russia, New York, Italy, America, Cornish, England

☆ Evidence suggests the Ukrainian dam collapsed due to a controlled explosion set off inside the structure. An international investigative group says it's 'highly likely' Russian forces were behind the
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A critical dam in southern Ukraine collapsed on the early morning of June 6, displacing thousands. Experts say the dam's collapse could only happen with a large explosion from within, per NYT. "If your objective is to destroy the dam itself, a large explosion would be required," Michael W. West, a geotechnical and geological engineer, told The Times. The Times reported that a US intelligence satellite also captured infrared heat signals in the area just before the dam fell apart. A senior US military official told the Times that Russian operatives were most likely behind the attack.

Persons: —, Michael W, Strelets Organizations: Service, The New York Times, Times, The Times, Mobile Justice Team, European Union, CNBC Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Kherson, Dnipro, Romania

☆ 6 ways the Russia-Ukraine war could play out in the wake of Ukraine's counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Over a year since Russia invaded Ukraine, there still does not appear to be a clear end in sight. Here are six ways the war could play out and what victory might look like for either side. Russia's war in Ukraine has been raging on for over a year, and there is still no clear end to the conflict in sight. With the largest land war in Europe since 1945 now entering a new phase, here are six ways it could play out. One senior official previously said that a Russian nuclear strike could trigger a "physical response" from NATO.

Persons: —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it's, Seth Jones, Mykhalchuk, Jones, SERGEY SHESTAK, Muhammed Enes Yildirim, Putin, He's, Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin, LUDOVIC MARIN, they've, Spencer Platt, It's, Mark Cancian, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Scott Peterson, Mark Milley, Eugen Kotenko, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: Service, Center for Strategic, Studies ', Security, Leopard, Getty, Anadolu Agency, Marine, intel, 95th Airborne Brigade, US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Publishing, Getty Images, NATO Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Europe, South Korean, AFP, Donetsk, Crimea, Russian, Ukrainian, Siversk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, West, Kyiv, China

☆ Opinion: Trump, the hoarder in chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. Photos included in the 38-count indictment of former President Donald Trump and his aide Walt Nauta show bankers boxes stacked in a bathroom and other parts of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. Trump has always hung onto news clippings, documents and other mementos,” The New York Times reported. “Trump is chaotic and unpredictable in a way that could lead other Republicans to believe that there is a chance he won’t make it to the convention. As Zelizer noted, “Trump has denied wrongdoing, claiming he is being unfairly targeted.”But “given this unusual context, Republicans have legitimate reasons to think that there could be an upset.

Persons: Harry Fellowes, Fellowes, Harry Fellowes couldn’t, Donald Trump, Walt Nauta, Trump, Kim Jong, Mr, Jack Smith’s, Peter Bergen, ” Bergen, Nick Anderson, David Zurawik, “, ” Zurawik, ” Clay Jones, ” Trump, Jill Filipovic, ” Dana Summers, John Avlon, MAGA hasn’t, Gautham Rao, Donald Trump’s, Dean Obeidallah, Hillary Clinton, Phil Hands, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Julian Zelizer, “ Trump, ”, Facebook Trump, Zelizer, Republican Alice Stewart, Joe Biden, Mike, Pence, Agency Stewart, I’m, that’s, Chris Christie, Christie, Cupp, ’, Frida Ghitis, Mucutuy, –, Cristin, Tien Ranoque, ” Ghitis, David Andelman, Ruth Ben Ghiat, Brett Bruen, Sébastien Roblin, Michael Bociurkiw, Father’s, Edward S, Feldman, Harrison Ford, David G, Allan, Tom Hanks, ” Allan, I’ve, Ford, Indiana Jones, Steve Majors, Young, Joyce M, Davis, Pete Buttigieg, ” Davis, Buttigieg, Don’t, Tom Stiglich, Syndicate David Culver, Opal Lee, Dion Sims, Black, Juneteenth Scott Hodge, Roxanne Jones, LeBron James, NBA Joshua Douglas, Samuel Huneke, Jere Hester, they’re, Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon’s, Yoko Ono, Lennon’s, McCartney Organizations: CNN, White, The New York Times, West Wing, Tribune, Agency, US, Trump, Miami Mayor, Republican, Twitter, Facebook, intel, New, New Jersey Gov, Paramount Pictures, “, Syndicate, NBA, Central Press, Hulton, Beatles, BBC Locations: Trump’s, Mar, Miami, New Jersey, China, Philadelphia, Atlanta , Georgia, Harrisburg , Pennsylvania, Jamaica

☆ LIV-PGA Tour deal probe urged by Rep. Maxine Waters and Sen. Sherrod Brown
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Lawmakers’ calls to investigate the proposed merger between the US-based PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund–backed LIV Golf are escalating. An investigation by CFIUS would not be the first probe into the surprise merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, formerly bitter rivals. The Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations have also opened separate probes into the deal. Waters and Brown acknowledged the multiple investigations in their letter, writing, “We understand and appreciate that CFIUS is, by statute, an authority of last resort. Before the deal announcement, PGA Tour and LIV Golf were locked in a legal battle and traded barbed accusations of unfair competition, but the two organizations agreed to drop all pending litigation under the new agreement.

Persons: LIV, Maxine Waters, Sen, Sherrod Brown, Waters, Brown, “, Mohammed bin Salman, bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Bin Salman, CFIUS, LIV Golf Organizations: CNN, Tour, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Financial Services Committee, Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs Committee, US Treasury Department, Foreign Investment, Treasury, PGA, Wall Street Journal, US Department of Justice, Finance, Investigations Locations: Ohio, United States, “ Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Saudi Arabia

☆ Opinion: Decoding Trump’s top-secret documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —At the heart of the case of “United States of America v. Donald J. Trump and Waltine Nauta” are 31 classified documents that former President Donald Trump kept at his Mar-a-Lago club, each briefly described in the indictment against him. Peter Bergen CNNTrump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and given a variety of defenses for his handling of the documents. London and Stout walked me through what can be learned about the documents in the indictment. London then explained a point I hadn’t fully considered before: “Documents are classified to protect the sources so that we can continue collecting that information and protect the sources who are doing it. The fiasco at Mar-a-Lago that is alleged in the indictment against him suggests that Trump could care less about this fundamental duty.

Persons: Peter Bergen, Donald J, Trump, Donald Trump, Peter Bergen CNN Trump, United States ’, Douglas London, Mark Stout, Stout, “, ”, London, NOFORN ”, “ Trump Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, “, United, CIA’s Clandestine Service, of American Intelligence, State Department, CIA, London, Signals Intelligence, Twitter, Stout Locations: New America, “ United States, America, United States, East, Africa, Asia, London, Mar

☆ Putin is setting up excuses to protect himself in case his war in Ukraine fails, says ex-CIA officer
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin is apparently searching for excuses, an ex-CIA official said. Putin has claimed Russian forces in Ukraine need better weapons. In recent remarks to journalists, Putin said that Russian forces in Ukraine were fighting with inferior weapons, and that the country is urgently increasing the production of modern weapons for front-line troops. On Tuesday, Putin specifically told Russian military bloggers and state media war correspondents that Russian forces were short on high-precision ammo and attack drones. "For me, the really fascinating questions is why does Vladimir Putin address this, and for me, we have to turn to history in Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, —, Steven Hall, Hall Organizations: CIA, Russian, Service, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Russia

☆ PGA Tour-Saudi deal scrutiny intensifies as Senate Finance Committee investigates
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The backlash to the proposed merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf intensified as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, opened an investigation into the deal on Thursday. The committee will probe the deal between the US-based PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund-backed LIV Golf and assess what the deal means for national security. The PGA Tour and LIV Golf did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment. The surprise deal this month between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, competing tours locked in a legal battle before the merger announcement, has faced growing opposition from lawmakers. The US-based PGA Tour said the merger would “unify the game” and all pending litigation between the tours would be dropped under the new agreement.

Persons: LIV Golf, Ron Wyden, ” Wyden, Wyden, Mohammed bin Salman, Bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Elizabeth Warren, LIV, “ Organizations: CNN, PGA, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Saudi, of Justice, PGA Tour, DOJ, Democratic, Senate, LIV Locations: Oregon, United States, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, U.S

☆ As China's intelligence capabilities grow, spying becomes an increasing flashpoint in ties with US
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

They underscore how intelligence gathering – an activity meant to go on without detection, out of the public eye – is becoming an increasingly prominent flashpoint in the US-China relationship. That pushes intelligence gathering itself to become “another factor that is complicating US-China relations,” he said. That’s especially the case, experts say, as China continues to expand its own intelligence gathering capabilities – catching up in an area where the US has traditionally had an edge. Other arms of the Communist Party apparatus also play a role in activities beyond conventional intelligence gathering, experts say. Heightened concern and awareness about Chinese intelligence gathering – or the potential for it – has exploded in the US in recent years.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Bill Burns, ”, Lyle Morris, Christopher Johnson, “, there’s, they’ve, Johnson, Xi Jinping, That’s, Xuezhi Guo, Guo, Xi, Hector Retamal, –, TikTok –, Edward Snowden, ’, Shou Zi Chew, Jabin, John Delury, John T, Downey, Delury Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, US, White House, CIA, CNN, Asia Society, Center for, Central Intelligence Agency, China, Group, U.S . Navy, AP, Guilford College, People’s Liberation Army, Ministry of State Security, Communist Party, Federal Bureau of Intelligence, The New York Times, Huawei, TikTok, Tiktok, US Justice Department, China Initiative, Center for Strategic, International Studies, National Security Agency, US Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, China ”, Energy, Commerce, Capitol, Washington Post, Subversion Locations: Hong Kong, United States, China, Beijing, American, Cuba, US, Center for China, South, Russia, AFP, Washington, USA, South China, Washington , DC

☆ Putin hinted that Russia may launch another attack on Kyiv in an interview with war bloggers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin fielded questions about the Ukraine war from journalists. Russia was defeated a steep cost in casualties when attempting to seize Kyiv in 2022. At one point, he apparently suggested that he hadn't ruled out another bid to seize Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. After being defeated in its campaign to seize Kyiv, the Russian military refocused its campaign on taking territory in east and south Ukraine. The Russian military bloggers who Putin spoke to Wednesday have been among the sternest critics of Russia's campaign, arguing its botched the invasion and been too cautious.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, there'd, —, Putin, hadn't, Putin's Organizations: Service, Kremlin, Reuters, Institute Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Ukrainian, Russian

☆ Indictment alleges Trump hoarded classified documents on 'vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Sam Fellman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

He kept records about "potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack," per the indictment. Their indictment unsealed Friday alleges that the former president had kept government records at Mar-a-Lago that pertained to "defense and weapons capabilities of both the United States and foreign countries; United States nuclear programs; potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack; and plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack." The records about nuclear programs are likely to also be highly sensitive files — especially if they describe nuclear weapon capabilities, plans or launch protocols. But Trump apparently didn't keep it a secret that he'd kept these secret files; the FBI recovered 17 documents with top-secret markings, according to the indictment. In announcing his indictment Thursday on his Truth Social network, Trump declared: "I AM AN INNOCENT MAN."

Persons: Trump, —, Donald Trump, he'd, that's, Mark Milley Organizations: Service, GOP, Mar, Defense Department, NATO, FBI, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Trump Locations: United States, Trump's, Iran

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