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Blame within Russia’s spy and defence agencies: Bickering spooks at war over disastrous Ukraine invasion and arrest of senior intelligence officer, US officials claim
Daily Mail ^ | Published: 14:23 EDT, 19 March 2022 | Updated: 16:07 EDT, 19 March 2022 | Jonathan Rose

Posted on 03/19/2022 3:01:12 PM PDT by Zhang Fei

Last week, Andrey Soldatov, a respected author on the Russian secret services, said sources inside the FSB told him that Sergey Beseda, 68, head of the agency's foreign service, had been placed under arrest on Putin's orders.

Also arrested was Anatoly Bolyukh, Beseda's deputy, according to Soldatov, who said Putin is 'truly unhappy' with the agency - which he ran before becoming president.

Putin is said to blame the agency for intelligence which assured him ahead of the invasion that Russian forces would face only token resistance from the Ukrainian army and that Ukrainians themselves were eager to be rid of their leaders.

Among the reasons for the repressions are the embezzlement of funds allocated for subversive and undercover work in Ukraine, as well as deliberately false information about the political situation in Ukraine.

The FSB security service allegedly handed him intelligence suggesting that Ukraine was weak, riddled with neo-Nazi groups, and would give up easily if attacked.

In fact, the Russian armed forces have faced fierce resistance from Ukrainian soldiers that has battled them to a standstill, inflicted heavy losses, and forced Putin's commanders to resort to brutal siege warfare that has so far yielded few results.

Soldatov previously told The Times that most FSB agents are brought into the service as legacy hires based on their parents or grandparents being agents and are removed from mainstream schools to be educated in-house.

This is unlike western security services, which tend to recruit from elite universities or colleges to ensure they get 'the cream of the crop'.

Alternatively, he said, the organisation did gather good intelligence - but was simply too afraid to tell Putin the truth, instead doctoring their reports to appease him.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: biden; chechens; chechnya; ciaagitprop; dailyfail; jonathanrose; mi6agitprop; putin; putinsbuttboys; putinworshippers; russia; russianaggression; schwabagitprop; thedailyfail; ukraine; zottherussiantrolls
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This brings to mind the rumor I heard - that Putin paid large sums of money to one of his men to buy off the Ukrainian generals in charge of the country’s defenses. That fella pocketed the money, since what difference does it make whether you pay them off or not? It’s not like Putin’s going to invade Ukraine. That’s just crazy talk. Then Putin invaded Ukraine, and the missing payoffs became a pressing issue. That was when Putin arrested the guy.
1 posted on 03/19/2022 3:01:12 PM PDT by Zhang Fei
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To: Zhang Fei

Opposition writer makes a claim, US Intel agrees, story pushes everywhere into the press. Not a word of the story is verified. Shades of Christopher Steele...


2 posted on 03/19/2022 3:09:36 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: Zhang Fei

Daily Mail makes other tabloids look respectable.


3 posted on 03/19/2022 3:14:00 PM PDT by McGruff (It's America First, stupid.)
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To: DesertRhino

So who would verify the story? Putin’s 800 info line? The FSB press and media officer?


4 posted on 03/19/2022 3:15:42 PM PDT by BiglyCommentary
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To: Zhang Fei

Most all countries have an “entrenched” bureaucracy, that all leaders must deal with. Looks like the Russian one screwed Putin like ours did to Bush II. I wonder what the Chinese one will do to Xi?


5 posted on 03/19/2022 3:19:22 PM PDT by rellic
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To: DesertRhino

[Opposition writer makes a claim, US Intel agrees, story pushes everywhere into the press. Not a word of the story is verified. Shades of Christopher Steele...]


Christopher Steele was obvious BS given Trump’s extremely hostile policies vis-a-vis Russia, ranging from exiting arms control and Open Skies treaties, ramping up sanctions on Russians Obama did not enforce to slaughtering hundreds of Russian mercs in Syria. And of course, Trump was recorded on speakerphone stating that he threatened to bomb Moscow, if Putin got frisky:

https://sports.yahoo.com/trump-claims-once-warned-friend-023203603.html

Progressives and Putin had a common enemy in Trump, so colluded to depict him as a Russian agent. Whereas the overflowing morgues in Belarus, the geo-located wrecks of Russian vehicles and the deaths of 5 Russian generals are fairly well-documented.


6 posted on 03/19/2022 3:20:55 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
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To: Zhang Fei

“…which assured him ahead of the invasion that Russian forces would face only token resistance from the Ukrainian army and that Ukrainians themselves were eager to be rid...“

This is un fathomable to me. My impression regarding the Ukes was that they were FIERCELY independence minded. When Putin went into Ukraine I thought he was in for some real trouble. Don’t really know anything about Ukraine but that was my impression.


7 posted on 03/19/2022 3:23:56 PM PDT by TalBlack (We have a Christian duty and a patriotic duty. God help us.)
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To: Zhang Fei
I hear that "Karla" is miffed.


8 posted on 03/19/2022 3:24:29 PM PDT by irishjuggler
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To: DesertRhino

For entertainment purposes only.

Then, if later it turns out true, you can say “you knew that”.

Same for if false.


9 posted on 03/19/2022 3:24:33 PM PDT by Cold Heart
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To: rellic

[Most all countries have an “entrenched” bureaucracy, that all leaders must deal with. Looks like the Russian one screwed Putin like ours did to Bush II. I wonder what the Chinese one will do to Xi?]


The fish rots from the head down. Putin has a $200b fortune:

https://nypost.com/2015/02/16/investor-putin-could-be-worlds-richest-man-with-stolen-200b-fortune/

His aides have wives. Keeping up with the Joneses is a thing. Why do you drive a clapped-out Lada while your lower-ranking colleague drives a Bentley? Why is our son living in the dorm at Volgograd State University when that other colleague’s daughter drives to Boston College in Cambridge, MA, from the palatial mansion he owns, free and clear, in a Ferrari? Why do we vacation in some primitive dacha with an outhouse in the middle of nowhere when that colleague cruises along the French Riviera in his custom-built mega-yacht?


10 posted on 03/19/2022 3:31:35 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
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To: TalBlack

[“…which assured him ahead of the invasion that Russian forces would face only token resistance from the Ukrainian army and that Ukrainians themselves were eager to be rid...“

This is un fathomable to me. My impression regarding the Ukes was that they were FIERCELY independence minded. When Putin went into Ukraine I thought he was in for some real trouble. Don’t really know anything about Ukraine but that was my impression.]


At best, Putin was expecting an Anschluss (the enthusiastic Austrian embrace of union with Germany during Hitler’s rule), with Russian-flag waving Ukrainians lining the route of approach. At worst, he thought he’d get a replay of Crimea, where bought-off Ukrainian generals let the Russians take over without resistance. Instead, he got a large scale version of the battles that have been raging over the Donbass since 2014.


11 posted on 03/19/2022 3:34:38 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
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To: DesertRhino; Zhang Fei; Kazan
Got this from freeper Kazan - The Duran on Youtube. Actual reality from the Ukraine. Surprised Youtube hasn't shut these guys down.

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDuran/videos

Yesterday's drop [3:22:20]:

Russia-Ukraine SITREP. 21 days [and 8 years] of fighting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE8UfZZ-n_A

I watched the first hour and got a lot out of it, as far as the situation on the ground. Gonzalo Lira is hanging about in Kharkiv.

The three guys who do this are Alex Christoforou, Alexander Mercouris and Gonzalo Lira.

12 posted on 03/19/2022 3:43:31 PM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: Zhang Fei

“ This is unlike western security services, which tend to recruit from elite universities or colleges to ensure they get ‘the cream of the crop’.

Still laughing...


13 posted on 03/19/2022 3:46:22 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: DesertRhino

A Rose by any other name. Prob a pseudonym for Steele. Or Saint Steele as he is now known as courtesy of CIA stooges on FR


14 posted on 03/19/2022 3:48:49 PM PDT by Long Jon No Silver
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To: Zhang Fei

“Soldatov previously told The Times that most FSB agents are brought into the service as legacy hires based on their parents or grandparents being agents and are removed from mainstream schools to be educated in-house.“

As opposed to here where we don’t have intel legacies, right Bush I? Right Bill Barr? Right etc etc...


15 posted on 03/19/2022 3:50:45 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: DesertRhino

[As opposed to here where we don’t have intel legacies, right Bush I? Right Bill Barr? Right etc etc...]


What intel legacy? Bush was appointed caretaker CIA chief for less than 1 year while they sorted out the mess of the Church Committee hearings and Angleton’s failed mole hunt. Note that Bush was the one of the youngest naval aviators ever, having enlisted right out of high school. He almost escaped being eaten by the Japanese after being shot down near Chichi Jima.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush#World_War_II

I think he’s a squish, but Bush was a Yale grad, a bona fide war hero, a somewhat successful oil man, a several term Congressman and a political appointee to various State Department posts by the time he was appointed temporary CIA head. If that’s not a record of accomplishment, I don’t know what is.


16 posted on 03/19/2022 4:02:01 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
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To: DesertRhino

[As opposed to here where we don’t have intel legacies, right Bush I? Right Bill Barr? Right etc etc...]


Bill Barr had a Master’s from Columbia. That’s a top 10 school. Do you not consider Columbia an elite university?


17 posted on 03/19/2022 4:05:58 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
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To: Zhang Fei

“He almost escaped being eaten by the Japanese...”

LOL! I don’t think it was “almost”, I’m pretty sure he did escape.


18 posted on 03/19/2022 4:12:55 PM PDT by Nik Naym (It's not my fault... I have compulsive smart-ass disorder. )
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To: Zhang Fei

If it’s a military oprration, why would the FSB be the main source of intelligence? Is Putin afraid of the GRU?


19 posted on 03/19/2022 4:13:56 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Nik Naym

[LOL! I don’t think it was “almost”, I’m pretty sure he did escape.]


Got me there.


20 posted on 03/19/2022 4:14:33 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
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