Tag: GRU

On February 10, Marina Perevozkina of Moskovsky Komsomolets (MK) published an interview with former intelligence officer Leonid Reshetnikov, now director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISI) headlined “Idea of Minsk Agreements was Born in Finland.” It is a fascinating expose of the role some American scholars of Russia played in the confidential preludes to […]

Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies. The previous issue is here, and see also our Russia This Week stories ‘Anti-Maidan’ Launched by Nationalists, Cossacks, Veterans, Bikers and The Guild War – How Should Journalists Treat Russian State […]

Rossiyskaya Gazeta (RG.ru), the Russian state newspaper of record, has published an interview with Anatoly Kucherena, the lawyer of Edward Snowden, titled Snowden Awaits his Fiancé: Anatoly Kucherena Describes How the Most Mysterious American Lives and Works. The interview was conducted by Boris Yamshanov, a journalist who has authored a number of articles on legal […]

Updated Daily. This week’s issue: – Soldiers’ Mothers Activist Arrested, Had Pressed Cases of Russian Soldiers in Killed in Ukraine – Gorbachev Confirms There Was No NATO ‘Non-Expansion’ Pledge – Poland Arrests Russian Lt. Colonel and Lawyer on Suspicion of ‘Espionage’ – Two American Journalism Professors Detained in St. Petersburg at Workshop – Harassment Continues […]

The Syrian rebels, in what appears to be a joint operation between several Free Syrian Army (FSA) brigades, have captured an important Syrian Army installation overlooking to town of Al Harra (or Tal Harra), in Daraa province (map). The capture of the base would be significant news in and of itself. The base towers above […]

On 14 August, the popular and enigmatic Col. Igor Strelkov resigned from his position of “Defense Minister” and “Commander of the Donetsk People’s Republic Militia” after reports that he was wounded. He then disappeared for weeks, and was rumored to be in Sevastopol, in a rest home. When he surfaced yesterday September 11 for a […]

Yesterday’s liveblog can be found here. An archive of our liveblogs can be found here. For an overview and analysis of this developing story see our latest podcast. Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable information service by making a donation towards our costs. View Ukraine: April, 2014 in a larger map For […]

President Vladimir Putin has fired 18 top law-enforcement officials in the Investigative Committee, Prosecutor General’s Office and the Interior Ministry. His sudden and secretive action has sparked some theories that it is somehow related to Ukraine — either punishing those who are poorly performing with regard to the aggression against Ukraine, or punishing those involved […]

Igor Strelkov (aslo known as Igor Girkin) is the leader of the pro-Russian rebels in East Ukraine, who he has been suspected of being responsible for the downing of MH17 and of ordering mass executions in  Slavyansk. His work for the Russian military intelligence (GRU) has been well documented, and the media has been keen […]

Right and wrong in politics are subject to the force and ability of the powerful to impose their version or perception of such. It is malleable to the force of the victors and the glib propaganda that provides “alternate viewpoints” which massage, contort and finesse the understanding and perception of situations. The ability to obfuscate […]