Read my take on the US failure in Niger. warontherocks.com/2024/06/why-wa…

Rupert Murdoch, chairman emeritus of News Corp, marries Elena Zhukova at his California vineyard. Murdoch, 93, and Zhukova, 67, met last year. The marriage is Murdoch’s fifth. Zhukova is Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's former mother-in-law.

thetimes.com/article/rupert…

I was fortunate enough to get a sneak preview of some of the documents, casting new light on Russian influence ops, via what might otherwise look like legitimate outreach and legal assistance projects

Interesting update on one of Wagner's side hustles in CAR 👇

Curious picture of some Belgorod Territorial Defence volunteers.

Jack Margolin John Lechner (@johnalechner.bsky.social)

belduma.ru/news/detail.ph…

When I was a kid in ‘03 I was at a science exhibit in Atlanta based on the mission Challenger was intended to complete when it exploded. We came out of the exhibit and there were camera crews to interview us because the Columbia had disintegrated on re-entry while we were inside.

Using the word 'escalation' doesn't imply a judgement on a policy. There are good escalations. This is one of them.
It is still an escalation.

The central issue is that 'the West' has no viable plan for 'banishing' Wagner/Russia from CAR (or anywhere else). They are unable to address security threats these countries face and have understandable reservations about working with juntas and increasingly illiberal regimes.

!!!

With Alexey Dyumin (FSO, Putin's personal aide, deputy min of Defense, governor, 'succesor') appointed to State Council - the question is - does this council matter now?
ridl.io/passions-are-r…

Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Yunus-bek Yevkurov arrived in the Libyan city of Benghazi to meet with the commander-in-chief of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar amid expansion of Africa Corps in the country.

The UAE company that provided a heavily-subsidised jet for President Ruto's trip to the US is the same one that flew Sudan's RSF leader Hemeti around Africa earlier this year.
the-star.co.ke/news/2024-05-3…

As Der Aktenfresser pointed out, Nizhevenok’s group is likely DRShBr Vostok, whose telegram channel describes them as “musical brotherhood” (nod to Wagner) and who appear to use Kratos from God of War as their logo

Roadblock Politics by Peer Schouten really is an incredible book and required reading for anyone who wants to know how CAR and its neighbors really work