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Mike Eckel

@mikeeckel.bsky.social

4K followers 1.3K following 900 posts

Opponent of Quiet Desperation. Contains Multitudes. In Search Of Meanness Or Sublimity. Former Moscow Correspondent. Vladivostok Fanboy. Chaotic Good. @RFERL

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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. 🧵👇

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 38m

Putin meeting at the Kremlin with Syria's president Ahmed al-Sharaa; their first meeting since he took power following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad last year. (Assad is reportedly holed up in a Moscow City skyscraper, and Sharaa is asking Putin to turn him over...)

Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 40m

Putin has still not received birthday wishes from Trump, per Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. 🙄
t.me/tass_agency/...

Reposted by Mike Eckel

Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 22h

The surveillance empire that tracked world leaders, a Vatican enemy, and maybe you www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

A stunning investigation by @lighthousereports.com of what I call "despotism as a service"👇

The surveillance empire that tracked world leaders, a Vatican enemy, and maybe you

We uncovered a massive data trove. It revealed the hidden world of First Wap, whose untraceable tech has targeted politicians, journalists, celebrities, and activists around the globe.

www.motherjones.com

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Reposted by Mike Eckel

The Barents Observer @thebarentsobserver.com · 1d

The German Navy starts its largest naval firing exercise in decades off the coast of Andøya, Norwegian Sea

Ten German naval ships engage in missile firing at Norwegian Arctic test range

The German Navy starts its largest naval firing exercise in decades biggest off the coast of Andøya, Norwegian Sea.

www.thebarentsobserver.com

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 2d

"We must not sit back and assume that a possible Russian attack will not come until 2029 at the earliest. We are already under fire today," said Germany's spy chief Martin Jaeger @spiegel.de
spiegel.de/panorama/bnd...

Bundesnachrichtendienst warnt vor russischem Angriff vor 2029

»Wir stehen schon heute im Feuer«: Der neue BND-Chef Martin Jäger hält einen russischen Angriff auf die Nato bereits vor 2029 für möglich. Auch Verfassungsschutzpräsident Sinan Selen warnt vor eskalierendem Verhalten Russlands.

spiegel.de

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Reposted by Mike Eckel

Scott MacFarlane @macfarlanenews.bsky.social · 2d

In new court filing, Justice Dept details more of its allegations in its criminal case against James Comey:"

"Count One alleges that the defendant made a false statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee when he denied that he authorized someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports"

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Reposted by Mike Eckel

Sune Engel Rasmussen @suneengel.bsky.social · 3d

I spent 3 weeks on a cargo ship in the Arctic, from Canada to Greenland. Our only company was blizzards, killer whales, thick fog and icebergs. Here is my story about how the West is lagging seriously behind Russia in the Arctic, and why it's so difficult to catch up

www.wsj.com/world/inside...

Inside the West’s Race to Defend the Arctic

Sailors scanned for icebergs on a nine-day journey to the U.S.’s northernmost military installation this summer—part of an effort to erode Russia’s vast advantage in the region.

www.wsj.com

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 3d

We don't know for a fact it's Burevestnik testing, do we? It's just an educated assumption?

Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 3d

an older man with glasses and a beard is smiling

ALT: an older man with glasses and a beard is smiling

media.tenor.com

Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 3d

www.c-span.org/program/news...

Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune on Day 3 of Government Shutdown

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) held a news conference on the third day of a federal government shutdown, ahead of more votes in the Senate to reopen the...

www.c-span.org

Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 3d

The fact that this man is now center stage in U.S. politics is very amusing. (also very likely that most Americans think this is Jerry Garcia...)

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 4d

Zelenskiy's phone call with Trump today. (no readout from the White House yet)

Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 5d

Burevestnik?

Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 5d

Putin bragging about Russia's nuclear arsenal, and reiterating offer (to US) to maintain New START limits after treaty expiration next year. Also hints at a forthcoming announcement of a new weapon system, currently undergoing tests.

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 5d

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

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Reposted by Mike Eckel

Joni Askola @joniaskola.bsky.social · 5d

Big deal for Finland

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 5d

David Slater, a former civilian U.S. Air Force employee, was sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison after admitting to passing - via a dating app - classified info on the Ukraine war to a woman he thought was Ukrainian. Per the original 2024 FBI affidavit, their chats are amusing.

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 5d

A massive overnight Russian aerial attack knocked out electricity in much of Kyiv, per power provider DTEK. It's the second major attack this week targeting Ukraine's grid infrastructure. Kyiv's mayor says at least 12 people were wounded.
t.me/dtek_ua/2658

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 6d

cool photograph by Serhii Nuzhnenko showing how Ukrainian forces are building tunnels of netting (fishing or agriculture) over roads, to thwart drone attacks. (Russia does similar).

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 6d

Putin gets the red carpet treatment in Dushanbe today, as Tajikistan's decidedly un-well president, Emomali Rahmon, welcomes him. (fun fact: the two are the same age, and almost share the same birthday).

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 6d

Ukrainian flag?

Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 7d

"What many [people] have missed is the extent to which Moscow has learned from its failures and adapted its strategy and approach to war.... Because of these changes, Ukraine is likely to face even greater destruction in the months ahead." @massdara.bsky.social
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/how-r...

How Russia Recovered

What the Kremlin is learning from the war in Ukraine.

www.foreignaffairs.com

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 7d

an incredible story about a Georgian crime gang that stole scores of rare and valuable editions of Russian classics (Pushkin, Gogol, etc.) from libraries across Europe.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

The Pushkin job: unmasking the thieves behind an international rare books heist

The long read: Between 2022 and 2023, as many as 170 rare and valuable editions of Russian classics were stolen from libraries across Europe. Were the thieves merely low-level opportunists, or were bi...

www.theguardian.com

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Mike Eckel @mikeeckel.bsky.social · 8d

youtu.be/Z1ZU1PXPoNI?...

Putin singing Blueberry Hills

YouTube video by Парламент

youtu.be