Mike Eckel
@mikeeckel.bsky.social
Opponent of Quiet Desperation. Contains Multitudes. In Search Of Meanness Or Sublimity. Former Moscow Correspondent. Vladivostok Fanboy. Chaotic Good. @RFERL
Pinned
Mike Eckel
@mikeeckel.bsky.social
· Jan 13
Vladimir Gusinsky was once one of Russia’s most influential oligarchs. In recent years, he’s been tangled in lawsuits, debt disputes, and legal fights. He’s also drawn scrutiny from the FBI for, among other things, his ties to former FBI special agent Charles McGonigal. 🧵👇
Reposted by Mike Eckel
Great RFERL piece by @mikeeckel.bsky.social and Ernist Nurmatov on Ilan Shor, A7 and A7A5, including findings from our investigations at @cen4infores.bsky.social www.rferl.org/a/russia-cry...
The Fugitive Oligarch, The Cryptocurrency, And A 'Wild' Kremlin-Blessed Sanctions Evasion Scheme
What's unique about the cryptocurrency A7A5 is that it appears to be set up not only to circumvent Western sanctions; it also appears to be a pillar for a larger Kremlin effort to build a parallel fin...
www.rferl.org
December 1, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Great RFERL piece by @mikeeckel.bsky.social and Ernist Nurmatov on Ilan Shor, A7 and A7A5, including findings from our investigations at @cen4infores.bsky.social www.rferl.org/a/russia-cry...
What's unique about the cryptocurrency A7A5 is that it appears to be not only a Kremlin vehicle to circumvent Western war sanctions; it also appears to be a pillar of a larger Kremlin effort to build a parallel financial system independent of the West.
www.rferl.org/a/russia-cry...
www.rferl.org/a/russia-cry...
The Fugitive Oligarch, The Cryptocurrency, And A 'Wild' Kremlin-Blessed Sanctions Evasion Scheme
What's unique about the cryptocurrency A7A5 is that it appears to be set up not only to circumvent Western sanctions; it also appears to be a pillar for a larger Kremlin effort to build a parallel fin...
www.rferl.org
December 1, 2025 at 7:26 PM
What's unique about the cryptocurrency A7A5 is that it appears to be not only a Kremlin vehicle to circumvent Western war sanctions; it also appears to be a pillar of a larger Kremlin effort to build a parallel financial system independent of the West.
www.rferl.org/a/russia-cry...
www.rferl.org/a/russia-cry...
While Witkoff is en route to Moscow for peace talks with Putin, Russia fired a ballistic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro overnight. Emergency officials say more than 40 people were wounded; death toll stands at 4.
December 1, 2025 at 4:20 PM
While Witkoff is en route to Moscow for peace talks with Putin, Russia fired a ballistic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro overnight. Emergency officials say more than 40 people were wounded; death toll stands at 4.
Reposted by Mike Eckel
"We will call the 12th month of the year 'December'... which means 'tenth month.'"
December 1, 2025 at 2:49 PM
"We will call the 12th month of the year 'December'... which means 'tenth month.'"
Putin and Witkoff will meet Tuesday afternoon (at the Kremlin), per spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
t.me/tass_agency/...
t.me/tass_agency/...
ТАСС
⚡️Встреча Путина с Уиткоффом пройдет завтра во второй половине дня, заявил Песков.
t.me
December 1, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Putin and Witkoff will meet Tuesday afternoon (at the Kremlin), per spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
t.me/tass_agency/...
t.me/tass_agency/...
Rubio speaks to reporters in Miami after concluding ~ 6 hours of talks with Ukrainian officials on a proposed plan to end Russia's war on Ukraine.
November 30, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Rubio speaks to reporters in Miami after concluding ~ 6 hours of talks with Ukrainian officials on a proposed plan to end Russia's war on Ukraine.
👀
Three 🇷🇺 Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed a more than five-hour mission from the Kola Peninsula, entering the Baltic Sea air space through the narrow corridor between 🇫🇮 and 🇪🇪, before turning north again after flying near the 🇸🇪 island of Gotland.
Bombers newly deployed to Kola flew near Sweden’s Gotland
Three Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed a more than five-hour mission from the Kola Peninsula, entering the Baltic Sea air space through the narrow corridor between Finland and Estonia, before turn...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:42 PM
👀
🧐“Russia has so many vast resources, vast expanses of land,” Witkoff told @wsj.com. “If we do all that, and everybody’s prospering and they’re all a part of it, and there’s upside for everybody, that’s going to naturally be a bulwark against future conflicts there."
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
November 29, 2025 at 11:23 AM
🧐“Russia has so many vast resources, vast expanses of land,” Witkoff told @wsj.com. “If we do all that, and everybody’s prospering and they’re all a part of it, and there’s upside for everybody, that’s going to naturally be a bulwark against future conflicts there."
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
Reposted by Mike Eckel
Let’s all go around the table and say one word we’re thankful for.
November 27, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Let’s all go around the table and say one word we’re thankful for.
Russia's Baikonur launch pad has suffered damage (possibly major) after a Soyuz launch today-- putting in doubt Russia's ability to do manned launches to the ISS. Roscosmos says there's some damage, inspections ongoing.
November 27, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Russia's Baikonur launch pad has suffered damage (possibly major) after a Soyuz launch today-- putting in doubt Russia's ability to do manned launches to the ISS. Roscosmos says there's some damage, inspections ongoing.
CIA statement about the Afghan man identified as the gunman who shot two National Guardsmen in Washington
November 27, 2025 at 2:20 PM
CIA statement about the Afghan man identified as the gunman who shot two National Guardsmen in Washington
Reposted by Mike Eckel
What folks need to realize about "peace talks" is that this is all theater for Washington. Ukraine knows that Russia has no intention of stopping the war, and the Russians know the Ukrainians know that. So this is just all a performance for Trump, hoping he blames the other for the lack of peace.
November 26, 2025 at 1:24 PM
What folks need to realize about "peace talks" is that this is all theater for Washington. Ukraine knows that Russia has no intention of stopping the war, and the Russians know the Ukrainians know that. So this is just all a performance for Trump, hoping he blames the other for the lack of peace.
Reposted by Mike Eckel
Something to keep in mind: Putin’s key foreign policy advisor conducts sensitive peace talks related communications via WhatsApp owned by Meta which is recognised as an extremist organisation in Russia
November 26, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Something to keep in mind: Putin’s key foreign policy advisor conducts sensitive peace talks related communications via WhatsApp owned by Meta which is recognised as an extremist organisation in Russia
Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov says the European "counter-proposal" peace plan is "not constructive and not acceptable to Russia."
November 24, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov says the European "counter-proposal" peace plan is "not constructive and not acceptable to Russia."
Ukrainian rescuers say they've recovered 3 more bodies -- 2 of them children -- from the rubble of the Ternopil apartment building that was hit by a Russian cruise missile earlier this week. The death toll now stands at 31.
November 21, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Ukrainian rescuers say they've recovered 3 more bodies -- 2 of them children -- from the rubble of the Ternopil apartment building that was hit by a Russian cruise missile earlier this week. The death toll now stands at 31.
Reposted by Mike Eckel
Q: What did the president mean when he called a reporter "piggy"?
LEAVITT: Look, the president is very frank & honest with everyone in this room. You'll all seen it yourself. You've all experienced it yourselves. And I think it's one of the many reasons the American people reelected this president
LEAVITT: Look, the president is very frank & honest with everyone in this room. You'll all seen it yourself. You've all experienced it yourselves. And I think it's one of the many reasons the American people reelected this president
November 20, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Q: What did the president mean when he called a reporter "piggy"?
LEAVITT: Look, the president is very frank & honest with everyone in this room. You'll all seen it yourself. You've all experienced it yourselves. And I think it's one of the many reasons the American people reelected this president
LEAVITT: Look, the president is very frank & honest with everyone in this room. You'll all seen it yourself. You've all experienced it yourselves. And I think it's one of the many reasons the American people reelected this president
Reposted by Mike Eckel
Wow
"[Ed] Martin is also believed to have shared sensitive grand jury information about the James case with at least one unauthorized individual as well as worked with another person from outside the federal government to examine potential evidence in the Schiff and James probes."
"[Ed] Martin is also believed to have shared sensitive grand jury information about the James case with at least one unauthorized individual as well as worked with another person from outside the federal government to examine potential evidence in the Schiff and James probes."
DOJ, FBI probing top Trump administration officials over investigations of president's adversaries: Sources
The DOJ is probing the conduct of at least two top administration officials for possibly jeopardizing the criminal investigations of Trump's political foes, sources say.
abcnews.go.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Wow
"[Ed] Martin is also believed to have shared sensitive grand jury information about the James case with at least one unauthorized individual as well as worked with another person from outside the federal government to examine potential evidence in the Schiff and James probes."
"[Ed] Martin is also believed to have shared sensitive grand jury information about the James case with at least one unauthorized individual as well as worked with another person from outside the federal government to examine potential evidence in the Schiff and James probes."
Zelenskiy's office issues a statement confirming it has received the U.S.-drafted peace plan: Zelenskiy "expects to discuss with President Trump in the coming days the available diplomatic opportunities and the main points that are needed for peace."
November 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Zelenskiy's office issues a statement confirming it has received the U.S.-drafted peace plan: Zelenskiy "expects to discuss with President Trump in the coming days the available diplomatic opportunities and the main points that are needed for peace."
Reposted by Mike Eckel
Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
November 20, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Intense video of the moment when a Russian drone hit a Ukrainian van heading to evacuate civilians near Lyman. By
@radiosvoboda.org.web.brid.gy. The driver was injured.
@radiosvoboda.org.web.brid.gy. The driver was injured.
November 20, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Intense video of the moment when a Russian drone hit a Ukrainian van heading to evacuate civilians near Lyman. By
@radiosvoboda.org.web.brid.gy. The driver was injured.
@radiosvoboda.org.web.brid.gy. The driver was injured.
At least 22 people are still missing in the Ternopil apartment building that was hit by a Russian cruise missile, per @ZelenskyyUa. Death toll now stands at 26, and seems likely will climb (much) higher.
November 20, 2025 at 8:16 AM
At least 22 people are still missing in the Ternopil apartment building that was hit by a Russian cruise missile, per @ZelenskyyUa. Death toll now stands at 26, and seems likely will climb (much) higher.
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll (who arrived in Kyiv yesterday along w/ a handful of top US officers) will meet today with Zelenskiy -- and Zelenskiy's team will find out how set in concrete the 28-point Witkoff/Dmitriev peace plan really is. (source: t.me/Denys_Smyhal)
November 20, 2025 at 7:21 AM
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll (who arrived in Kyiv yesterday along w/ a handful of top US officers) will meet today with Zelenskiy -- and Zelenskiy's team will find out how set in concrete the 28-point Witkoff/Dmitriev peace plan really is. (source: t.me/Denys_Smyhal)
Another Russian robot on display today, with more success (and with Kremlin endorsement, it would seem).
November 19, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Another Russian robot on display today, with more success (and with Kremlin endorsement, it would seem).
Death toll from Russian strikes on Ternopil now stands at 25, per Ukrainian emergency services; more 70 people wounded, including 15 children.
t.me/dsns_telegra...
t.me/dsns_telegra...
Ukrainian rescuers searching for bodies in the rubble of a Ternopil apartment building hit by Russian air attacks. Death toll in the city is up to 19, per emergency authorities, dozens wounded.
November 19, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Death toll from Russian strikes on Ternopil now stands at 25, per Ukrainian emergency services; more 70 people wounded, including 15 children.
t.me/dsns_telegra...
t.me/dsns_telegra...
Ukrainian rescuers searching for bodies in the rubble of a Ternopil apartment building hit by Russian air attacks. Death toll in the city is up to 19, per emergency authorities, dozens wounded.
November 19, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Ukrainian rescuers searching for bodies in the rubble of a Ternopil apartment building hit by Russian air attacks. Death toll in the city is up to 19, per emergency authorities, dozens wounded.