Russia invades Ukraine

[Bald Rick]

possibly related, possibly not, but it seems the CIA Director has been to Moscow…

CIA chief travels to Moscow for unannounced talks, US media reports

Flight tracking data confirms an American military aircraft travelled to Russia from the US via Latvia on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Russel]

possibly related, possibly not, but it seems the CIA Director has been to Moscow…

CIA chief travels to Moscow for unannounced talks, US media reports

Flight tracking data confirms an American military aircraft travelled to Russia from the US via Latvia on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

Saw something about this in the news earlier but wasn't sure what to make of it.

 

[najaB]

Saw something about this in the news earlier but wasn't sure what to make of it.

To be honest, I don't think anyone does. Normally there wouldn't be any reason in heaven or on earth for the CIA director to be in Moscow "for talks". Talks with who, about what?

 

[Russel]

To be honest, I don't think anyone does. Normally there wouldn't be any reason in heaven or on earth for the CIA director to be in Moscow "for talks". Talks with who, about what?

Certainly a strange turn of events.

 

[Annetts key]

I agree, but the USSR was pretty far from that ideal from quite early on, certainly under Stalin.

Oh, absolutely, yes.

 

[edwin_m]

To be honest, I don't think anyone does. Normally there wouldn't be any reason in heaven or on earth for the CIA director to be in Moscow "for talks". Talks with who, about what?

Perhaps Trump told him to find out from the FSB how to do intelligence properly.

 

[brad465]

possibly related, possibly not, but it seems the CIA Director has been to Moscow…

CIA chief travels to Moscow for unannounced talks, US media reports

Flight tracking data confirms an American military aircraft travelled to Russia from the US via Latvia on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

Putin realising if anyone knows how to install puppet leaders in one's sphere of influence, it's the CIA.

 

[35B]

Putin realising if anyone knows how to install puppet leaders in one's sphere of influence, it's the CIA.

Putin realising if anyone knows how to install puppet leaders in one's sphere of influence, it's the CIA.

I think you mean Putin realising that if any intelligence agency has experience in being persuaded to bankroll alleged puppet leaders in one's alleged sphere of influence, it's the CIA.

 

[dgl]

The CIA chief has probably said to whoever he has visited in Russia, "I've come about the photos, how much for each one?"

 

[Cloud Strife]

The present day Russia is closer to a mafia type structure, as in it's a highly structured organized crime society with the state being highly corrupt and controlling the money and power. And the state in turn is controlled by Putin. Or some say, actually controlled by the FSB...

Oh, the FSB absolutely do control Russia. For all the talk of Putin being a dictator, he would be gone tomorrow if he lost the support of the FSB. Other than that, I agree with your assessment that it's a mafia-type structure, even down to the killing of anyone who steps out of line. They're also not adverse to killing people just to send a message: Ivan Sechin died under very strange circumstances, and this was the son of a hardliner!

This is partially why I think the lack of a clear successor to Putin is largely irrelevant: the FSB have built a mafia state on a large scale, and it genuinely doesn't matter who comes after Putin because there won't be any dramatic changes in direction anyway.

In terms of the economy, things are just going from bad to worse for Russia right now. There are now new laws that will permit the state to nationalise absolutely anything that they deem to be required for the war effort, which I'd translate as a way to get the oligarchs to contribute more to the SMO. We're not quite at the point of mobilising middle class Russia, but this moment is getting closer.

 

[35B]

Oh, the FSB absolutely do control Russia. For all the talk of Putin being a dictator, he would be gone tomorrow if he lost the support of the FSB. Other than that, I agree with your assessment that it's a mafia-type structure, even down to the killing of anyone who steps out of line. They're also not adverse to killing people just to send a message: Ivan Sechin died under very strange circumstances, and this was the son of a hardliner!

This is partially why I think the lack of a clear successor to Putin is largely irrelevant: the FSB have built a mafia state on a large scale, and it genuinely doesn't matter who comes after Putin because there won't be any dramatic changes in direction anyway.

In terms of the economy, things are just going from bad to worse for Russia right now. There are now new laws that will permit the state to nationalise absolutely anything that they deem to be required for the war effort, which I'd translate as a way to get the oligarchs to contribute more to the SMO. We're not quite at the point of mobilising middle class Russia, but this moment is getting closer.

At which point, I suggest President Putin and his backers may want to consider the example of the Tsars. Oversimplifying drastically, the inability to meet the demands of the middle classes came together with the failure to provide the peasantry and working classes with their needs, and resulted in a complete collapse of support. I suspect we're well past 1905.

 

[Broucek]

The present day Russia is closer to a mafia type structure, as in it's a highly structured organized crime society with the state being highly corrupt and controlling the money and power. And the state in turn is controlled by Putin. Or some say, actually controlled by the FSB...
[snip]

All that is a far cry from "true" communism...

I once had a great explanation from a Board director at a client. "Do not see Russia as like a competent State actor with warped goals in the manner of the Soviet Union or North Korea". It's like a mafia or cartel organisation which is one of the reasons all its tanks have not been well maintained

 

[starlight73]

russia has threatened the UK and other European countries this morning, as reported by the Guardian. I’m not sure how much of this is the usual rhetoric/fear-mongering or how much of a cause for concern it is.

link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/27/britain-ukraine-war-russia

Russia has said it could retaliate against the UK for its support of Kyiv by striking military targets inside and outside Ukraine, amid reports that the director of the CIA warned the Kremlin against attacking Nato during a secretive visit this week.

Andy Burnham, Britain’s prime minister, said on Monday the UK would allow Kyiv access to classified technology to start ⁠its own production of Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles. Maria ⁠Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Thursday Britain and France were “playing ⁠with fire”.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a visit by John Ratcliffe, the CIA chief, to Moscow on Tuesday had followed a US intelligence assessment that Russia could be planning to test Nato with a limited assault on an allied country. This could range from a cyber-attack to a small-scale incursion, probably in a Baltic nation.

Russia has made frequent threats against Ukraine’s western allies during the war, including thinly veiled nuclear threats and others apparently aimed at diplomatic missions in Kyiv.

Asked ‌to comment ‌on the reports of Ratcliffe’s visit – and despite Thursday morning’s threat against UK targets – Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, said: “A lot of this kind of scare-story material is being published right now. Of course, it has ‌nothing to do with reality and nothing to do with the intentions of the Russian Federation.”

See also https://www.theguardian.com/politic...081bc505263fbd#block-6a8ffb6c8f081bc505263fbd

Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said Russia would respond to Ukrainian strikes using British weapons by hitting any British military facilities in Ukraine and beyond, Russia’s state-owned Tass news agency reported.

 

[Broucek]

Is this not just an attempt to whip people up in the UK?

Creates pressure on UK Gov't not to poke the bear too hard without Russia having had do anything except put out a press release

 

[Tetchytyke]

This is partially why I think the lack of a clear successor to Putin is largely irrelevant: the FSB have built a mafia state on a large scale, and it genuinely doesn't matter who comes after Putin because there won't be any dramatic changes in direction anyway.

I think the opposite: look at what happens to any Mafia organisation after the head honchos get neutralised. When Putin goes, it will be messy.

 

[brad465]

I wouldn't rule out a second civil war in Russia after Putin's demise/deposition. Several parts of Russia, most especially Chechnya, Dagestan and a few far eastern regions, are susceptible to secession mainly held together by the current regime. Take this away and they will have strong incentives to pursue this, and the amount of military degradation in Ukraine will make any resistance from the Kremlin far easier to overcome.

 

[Russel]

russia has threatened the UK and other European countries this morning, as reported by the Guardian. I’m not sure how much of this is the usual rhetoric/fear-mongering or how much of a cause for concern it is.

link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/27/britain-ukraine-war-russia


See also https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/aug/27/mcfadden-meta-jobs-neets-burnham-wales-unemployment-tata-steel-industry-latest-news-updates?page=with:block-6a8ffb6c8f081bc505263fbd#block-6a8ffb6c8f081bc505263fbd

Concerning, but I suppose that was the point, panic people...