War Propaganda Snapshot: 2 Putin Agenda “News” Sites
NewsGuard reported on June 11th, 2024 that counterfeit local news websites run by hostile foreign governments and extreme right or left leaning PACs for the first time outnumbered legitimate local news websites in the United States. Two ad based websites using WordPress blog sites helped illustrate the trend last week, found within the first two…
SOCMINT Sample: Putin’s Strategic Disinformation
Putin regime proxy profiles (paid, voluntary, or unwitting) are alleging Russian active measures talking points that the Putin dictatorship’s attacking Ukraine is only doing what John F. Kennedy did during the Cuban Missile Crisis and or the Bay of Pigs invasion. This narrative is false in a number of ways: 1. False Analogy as…
If Russia Cannot Hold Ukraine What Does Victory Mean?
Nine months ago, CSIS’s Seth Jones wrote at WaPo that Russia could defeat Ukraine but could not hold the territory. Today it is not even certain that Russia can “defeat Ukraine” much less hold it. To give it a serious try, Moscow would need to dilute its defenses along borders on its vast frontier. Moscow…
The Shape of Political Subversion: Executive to Legislative
The exodus of GOP conservatives from Congress continues into 2022 with Ohio Rep. Anthony Gonzalez withdrawing from a primary contest in submission to a Trump-controlled candidate. It is not often a young incumbent steps down, especially one who expands and diversifies the GOP tent in the spirit of former President George W. Bush’s once Latino-friendly…
Putin’s impulsion trends in leadership error
Vladimir Putin’s military build-up on the Ukraine border and partial pull-back today, combined with visible anger in his red-line rhetoric threatening harsh punishment for those who disrespect Russia’s security interests showed signs of impulsiveness in one inexperienced at commanding military forces. It was interesting that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu signaled the pullback. A breakthrough…