In today’s episode, we welcome Dr Taras Kuzio, who has just returned from a trip to Ukraine.

Dr. Taras Kuzio is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy and an Associate Research Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society. Winner of the 2022 Peterson Literary Prize for Russian Nationalism and the Russian-Ukrainian War: Autocracy-Orthodoxy-Nationality (Routledge, 2022).

In the first section, we discuss the recent ISIS-K terrorist attack in Moscow and how President Putin is capitalising on that atrocity and attempting to blame Ukraine. We look at new Ukrainian tactics against Russia and an increasingly risk-averse US government to give Ukraine what it needs to defeat Russia.

We then shift focus to Dr Kuzio’s trip to Ukraine, in which he shares his observations, and then we look at how President Zelensky is holding up after recent reports that he has been at loggerheads with senior members of the Ukraine military. We also discuss some of the talking points about Ukraine on both sides of the political spectrum in the British and American press.

After the break, we’ll shift our focus to the lesser-known realm of the Ukrainian intelligence services and special forces, shedding light on their roles and actions.

So, it’s a pretty jam-packed episode, and we end with a few bonus questions about the Nord Stream pipeline attack, a strange conversation I had with a taxi driver in London about Ukraine that left me scratching my head, and a brief chat about Alexi Navalny’s links to the Russian far-right.

So pour yourself your favourite drink, make yourself comfortable and immerse yourself in an episode packed with revelations, analysis, and unexpected stories.

Lawrence Freedman Substack mentioned:

https://substack.com/profile/69709932-lawrence-freedman

New York Times Article mentioned:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/25/world/europe/cia-ukraine-intelligence-russia-war.html

Connect with Dr Kuzio: https://twitter.com/TarasKuzio

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As it's the Easter weekend, Chris and Matt are away. So today, we are going to share a sample episode of "Extra Shot," our Patreon-only show that immediately follows each episode of "Espresso Martini."

To get access to future and past episodes of "Extra Shot" please subscribe here:

www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies

In this edition of Extra Shot, we will look at recommendations for a shake-up of British intelligence, the arrest of an alleged member of the Red Army Faction in Germany, we also look at the conviction of a left-wing terrorist in the UK and a cyber-attack against an Iranian spy ship. 

Links to articles discussed:

https://therecord.media/british-former-spy-chiefs-shakeup

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68415892

https://news.sky.com/story/left-wing-anarchist-guilty-of-terror-offences-after-declaring-he-wanted-to-kill-mps-13072775

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/us-conducted-cyberattack-suspected-iranian-spy-ship-rcna138638

NSPCC: “Spotting the signs of radicalisation”

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/reporting-abuse/dedicated-helplines/protecting-children-from-radicalisation/

Support Secrets and Spies: 

Become a “Friend of the podcast” on Patreon for £3 

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On today’s episode, we are going to look at how close we got to Russia using nukes in Ukraine, spies wining and dining in Brussels, Russia setting up fake news sites and more.

Then we will move to our Patreon-only show, “Extra Shot”. On that, we will look at how to run a CIA station abroad, SAS soldiers accused of murder, reports that the King has died and more.

Get Patreon access to Extra Shot here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/extra-shot-23rd-100909002?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Articles

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/09/politics/us-prepared-rigorously-potential-russian-nuclear-strike-ukraine?cid=ios_app

https://www.politico.eu/article/belgian-justice-minister-only-tip-iceberg-brussels-spy-problem-known/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/07/business/media/russia-us-news-sites.html

https://www.axios.com/2024/03/10/antarctica-china-science-geopolitics

https://nordicmonitor.com/2024/03/turkey-escalates-covert-intelligence-activities-in-europe-and-north-america/

Our restaurant recommendation in Brussels: Meet Meat Steak & Wine House

https://meetmeat.be/

Support Secrets and Spies: 

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On today’s episode, Matt is joined by investigative journalist, bestselling author, and Pulitzer Prize finalist Garrett Graff. His latest book, “UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government's Search for Alien Life Here—and Out There,” draws from original archival research, declassified documents, and interviews with senior intelligence and military officials to explore America’s obsession with UFOs and the government’s decades-long pursuit of answers to the age-old question: Are we alone in the universe?

Purchase UFO on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/UFO-Inside-Governments-Search-Here_and/dp/1982196777/

Garrett’s website: https://www.garrettgraff.com/

Follow Garrett on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vermontgmg

Follow Garrett on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@vermontgmg

Support Secrets and Spies: 

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On today’s episode, The Washington Post’s Pulitzer Prize-winning intelligence correspondent, Shane Harris, joins Matt to discuss the “Discord Leaks” and the air national guardsman who, earlier this week, pleaded guilty to charges of willful retention and transmission of US national defense information, an act that’s been called the largest disclosure of classified material in years. Shane shares his reporting on who this man is, what he leaked, and his bewildering motivations for doing so.

Read Shane’s reporting for The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/shane-harris/

Watch the Post and PBS Frontline’s documentary on the leaks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkgkBEuEHwU

Follow Shane on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shaneharris

Follow Shane on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@shanewharris

Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies

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In today's episode, we are going to look at a leak of Russian documents about their threshold for using nuclear weapons, the assassination of a Russian defector in Spain, details on the cooperation between the CIA and Ukraine intelligence services and more.

Then we will move to our Patreon-only show, “Extra Shot”. On that we will look at recommendations for a shake-up of British intelligence, the arrest of an alleged member of the Red Army Faction in German, we also look at the conviction of a left-wing terrorist in the UK and a cyber-attack against an Iranian spy ship. 

You can listen to Extra Shot here:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/extra-shot-2nd-99562088?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Links to articles discussed:

https://www.ft.com/content/f18e6e1f-5c3d-4554-aee5-50a730b306b7

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/20/world/europe/russian-pilot-maksim-kuzminov-spain.html

https://www.sandboxx.us/news/the-man-who-stole-americas-stealth-fighters-for-china/

https://dnyuz.com/2024/02/25/the-spy-war-how-the-c-i-a-secretly-helps-ukraine-fight-putin/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/world/middleeast/biden-israel-hamas-cease-fire.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Support Secrets and Spies: 

Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies

Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996?asc=u

 

Subscribe to our Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg

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On today’s podcast, I am joined by Edward Lucas to discuss the death of Alexei Navalny and its consequences. 

Edward is the author of the 2008 book “The New Cold War”. He has been warning us for many years of an increasingly aggressive Russian foreign policy dictated by President Vladimir Putin. When Edwards's book came out in 2008, he was largely ignored, and the recent invasion of Ukraine and countless assassinations abroad have shown us that we cannot ignore or dismiss President Putin and his geopolitical aims.

Edward was selected as the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for the constituency of Cities of London and Westminster and he will run in the next general election.

You can find out more about Edward Lucas here: https://www.edwardlucas.com/about

Support Secrets and Spies:

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In today's episode, we are going to look at a potential new Russian threat in space, then we are going to look at Tucker Carlson’s trip to Russia, then look at Russian efforts to destabilise US politics, and more.

Then we will move to our Patreon-only show, “Extra Shot”. On that, we will look at the rise of the AFD in Germany, the Cult of AI, the impact of AI on elections in Indonesia, and the return of an old Cold War spymaster.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/extra-shot-17th-98642658?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

https://www.twz.com/space/alarm-raised-over-destabilizing-new-russian-threat-in-space-reports

https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/91614

https://www.wired.com/story/russia-disinformation-campaign-civil-war-texas-border/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/01/31/levittown-pennsylvania-beheading-justin-mohn-youtube/

Support Secrets and Spies: 

Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies

Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996?asc=u

 

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On today’s episode, Matt speaks with the veteran foreign policy journalist and Middle East watcher, Laura Rozen. After four months of war between Israel and Hamas, the conflict seems to be entering a new phase with the possibility of another ceasefire on the horizon. Laura joins us to unpack what she’s seeing from her reporting and discuss the delicate ongoing diplomatic talks between the US, Israel, and the Arab states on how a post-war Gaza would be governed and what it might mean for the region.

Follow Laura on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lrozen

Subscribe to Laura on Substack: https://diplomatic.substack.com/

Support Secrets and Spies: 

Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies

Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996?asc=u

 

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Phillip Smyth, a leading researcher of Iranian-backed militia groups, returns to Secrets and Spies to unpack the January 28th drone attack against a US military outpost in Jordan that killed three service members and the resulting round of airstrikes beginning on February 2nd targeting the militias believed to be responsible. He gives his take on the degree of Iranian control over these militias, analyzes the effectiveness of the US response thus far, and tells us what, if anything, can be done to deter future attacks.

Follow Phillip on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth.

Find Phillip’s work for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth.

Explore Phillip’s Shia Militia Mapping Project: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/shia-militia-mapping-project.

Support Secrets and Spies: 

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Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996?asc=u

 

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