Assassination of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov was not terrorism, but retribution for Vladimir Putin’s war crimes

www.nydailynews.com/news/world/don-cry-russia-slain-envoy-putin-lackey-article-1.2917281

December 20, 2016

The image of an assassin standing over the dying body of Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov is a shocking one — but not a surprising one.

As Vladimir Putin’s man in Turkey, Karlov was the public face of that murderous dictator’s war crimes around the globe and of oppression at home. Andrei Karlov is the human embodiment of policies that deployed bunker busters to kill babies, sent fighter planes on scorched earth bombing runs that destroyed a whole city, aided Syrian madman Bashar al-Assad in his campaign that has killed hundreds of thousands, and even ordered attacks on UN aid workers.

So I, for one, am shedding no tears for Andrei Karlov. Frankly, I’m surprised his murder didn’t come months ago. After all, this was the lead sentences of a Washington Post story from Oct. 9: "There seems to be no way for the international community to stop the ongoing war crimes being committed by the Syrian regime and its Russian allies, especially in Aleppo," the newspaper reported. "But by brazenly flouting international law, leaders and rank-and-file officials in both countries are opening themselves up to future justice in multiple ways."

Justice has been served.

After watching the death of Karlov, I could not help but remember the case of Ernst vom Rath, a Nazi diplomat in France, who was gunned down inside his consulate by a Jewish student in 1938.

Like Karlov, Rath was the public face of atrocity — in this case, Adolf Hitler's genocide, anti-Semitism and coming global aggression.

That era’s politicians fiddled while Hitler burned down Europe, so it took a nobody named Herschel Grynszpan to stand up for freedom and make a powerful statement that evil must be fought whether in a conference room or on a battlefield.

Was Rath an innocent victim? Certainly not. He had not only defended Hitler's oppression of the Jews as "necessary" for Germany to flourish, but he stood idly by as Hitler devoured Europe and murdered its innocents. Rath could have stood up to the Nazi leadership when it would have mattered most, but he did not.

Which brings us back to Andrei Karlov.

Karlov's job in Turkey was to ease tensions over Russia's atrocities in Syria and its incursions inside Turkey itself — meaning his job was to enable and normalize Vladimir Putin. Given that role, he wasn’t a diplomat, but a soldier, and his death is the same whether it came on a battlefield outside Aleppo or in an art gallery in Ankara. His killer was also a soldier — not a terrorist, mind you, but a soldier. Terrorists kill innocent people with trucks in Christmas markets or with planes in skyscrapers. Soldiers kill their fellow soldiers.

Will history vindicate Mevlut Mert Altintas, Karlov’s assassin? That's for history to judge. But it has vindicated Grynszpan — and, indeed, vindicated others who have fought against aggression and fought for freedom.

Gersh Kuntzman

Russian charged with ’extremism’ for reposting video condemning Russia’s war against Ukraine

http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1482278672

December 21, 2016

"War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength"

Russia’s Investigative Committee has brought criminal charges against Roman Grishin for merely reposting a video clip back in 2014.  The Russian investigators claim that the clip, a biting attack on Russia’s excuses for its aggression against Ukraine, contains utterances that fall under Russia’s anti-extremism law.  It contains plenty that would not please Russian President Vladimir Putin, but none that justify ‘extremism’ charges. The Investigative Committee is also ignoring recent instructions from Russia’s Supreme Court aimed against criminal prosecutions for a mere reposting of material. 

33-year-old Grishin, who works as a copy-editor in Kaluga, is not an activist in any way. He assumes that the FSB’s unhealthy interest in his person arose from his trips to Ukraine where he has a friend with whom he has travelled around the country and the fact that he did not conceal his opposition to the Russian authorities’ behaviour with respect to Ukraine. 

FSB officers in balaclavas turned up at his work on Nov 17 and took him to the Investigative Committee offices where he was shown the video clip that he had reposted, and asked why he had posted it, why he travels to Ukraine so often and “why he calls for Jews to be killed”. 

He was then show screenshot images from his VKontakte social network page and the opinion of an ‘expert’ who claimed that he calls for the killing of Jews.

No charges were laid and he was released. He told Open Russia that he had not sought a lawyer or spoken with the press since he hoped that the interrogation was the end of the matter.

Then on Dec 16, he was informed of criminal charges and presented with a new, “fatter” linguistic assessment. 

“It contained the same conclusion – that by posting his video, I was spreading enmity, inciting hatred, and so forth.”  There was no interrogation as such, unless one counts the investigator’s question as to whether he was willing to go to prison.  There was a state-appointed lawyer who simply burbled something about how he shouldn’t argue with the state, that no good would come of it. 

It was then, he says, that he understood the need for a proper lawyer. He has been forced to give an undertaking not to leave Kaluga and appear in 10 days’ time.

His home has not been searched, however at the time of the first visitation, the friend whose home he was at when he reposted the video has faced a search and had his router taken away. 

The lawyer Grishin has found is not yet formally included in the case, and so identified himself only as Alexander.  He believes that the FSB visit was aimed at intimidating Grishin, and is appalled, among other things, by the fact that Grishin has not been presented with any documents.  He has only the summons on Dec 16 and his signed undertaking. From Grishin’s account, however, he notes that the author of the ‘linguistic assessment’ was clearly aware of the Supreme Court instructions and specifically points out that Grishin did not make any comment about the video, just reposted it. 

Without the actual document, it must remain a mystery where the so-called linguistic expert found a call to kill Jews in Boris Sevastyanov’s “New hit from Kharkiv: This, baby, is Rushism”. The term merges ‘Russian’ and ‘fascism’ and refers to Russian ideas about their ‘special mission’, the ‘Russian world’ which they claim includes Ukraine, and the use of the Russian Orthodox Church to claim moral authority for acts of aggression.  The refrain, in fact, says: “That, baby, is rashism, Orthodox fascism.  We’ll seize and appropriate, and hold a referendum”

The lyrics note, for example, that “fascists shout about fascists louder than anybody else” and says that Putin’s favourite occupation is looking for enemies, that they hate Americans, Ukrainians and Jews (offensive terms are used for all three of the latter, but in context that is clearly criticism of the search for ‘enemies’ only).    

Both the images and the lyrics are a devastating attack on Russia’s claims that Ukraine is a ‘brother nation’ (If we’re brothers, then you are Cain, we are Abel), and on Russian propaganda.  “Journalists don’t know how to lie more monstrously, and are willing to kiss Putin’s arse for honours”.

The Sova Centre, which monitors Russia’s use and abuse of extremism legislation notes the sharp criticism in the song, while stressing that there are no calls to aggression.  There are certainly Nazi symbols, as well as that of the banned Movement against Illegal Migration, but these are not, the Sova Centre writes, aimed at promoting Nazi ideology. 

Russia has already used the Nazi symbols as a pretext for administrative proceedings.  Political prisoner Darya Polyudova was jailed for 4 days in September 2015 for posting the clip, and in April 2016 Nina Solovyova, another Krasnodar activist received a 10-day sentence.

It has now stepped up the repressive measures, with criminal charges laid for the first time.  If convicted – and courts in Russia virtually never hand down acquittals in so-called ‘extremism’ cases, Grishin could face a 5-year prison term for reposting a video clip aimed solely at condemning Russia’s military aggression against its supposed ‘brothers’ in Ukraine. 

The video clip should be watched first in Russian, however there is also an English translation. 

Putins hybrider Großangriff zur Bundestagswahl 2017: Propaganda-Feldzug sogar mit Sexmobs

www.bild.de/politik/inland/wladimir-putin/propaganda-putin2sexmobs-49205588.bild.html

9. Dezember 2016

„Wir werden im deutschen Wahlkampf eine Einflußnahme erleben, wie wir sie noch nie erlebt haben.“

Die Worte eines hochrangigen Vertreters deutscher Sicherheitsbehörden lassen erahnen, in welchem Ausmaß Moskau den Ausgang der Bundestagswahl 2017 versuchen wird zu sabotieren.

In Sicherheitskreisen wird bereits diskutiert, wie Rußland versuchen könnte, mit Störaktionen ein radikales Umdenken in der Bevölkerung zu erzwingen – womöglich sogar mit tödlicher Gewalt.

Welche Mittel der Kreml genau einsetzen wird, ist noch offen. Die Einflußnahme auf den US-Wahlkampf durch die Veröffentlichung interner Dokumente (Wikileaks-Enthüllungen über das Innenleben der Demokraten-Partei) und vergangene Aktionen in Deutschland wie das gezielte Streuen von Gerüchten („Vergewaltigungsfall“ Lisa) lassen nur erahnen, welche Kampagnen auf die deutsche Öffentlichkeit zukommen könnten. 

Doch jenseits von Desinformation könnte es noch schlimmer kommen! 

Eine bislang unbekannte Komponente ergebe sich aus der engen Zusammenarbeit von russischen, syrischen und anderen Geheimdiensten sowie russischer Mafia, sagt Rußland-Experte Gustav Gressel (European Council on Foreign Relations).

„Ein Teil der Flüchtlinge aus dem Irak und Syrien, wenn auch nur ein sehr kleiner Teil, hatte Verbindungen zu Assads oder Saddam Husseins Geheimdiensten.“

Diese Menschen könnten gezielt von Geheimdienstagenten oder aus Mafiakreisen angesprochen und für Störaktionen instrumentalisiert werden, warnt Gressel.

„Was würde zum Beispiel passieren, wenn sich auf einem Sommerfestival vor der Wahl etwas ähnliches wiederholt wie in Köln zur Silvesternacht? Wie würde Merkel dann da stehen? Was wäre die Konsequenz für die Bundestagswahl? Natürlich ist das ein extremes Beispiel, aber es ist im Bereich des Möglichen“, sagt Gressel weiter.

Alarmstimmung in der Bundesregierung

Wie BILD erfuhr, setzt man sich im Auswärtigen Amt und im Innenministerium bereits intensiv mit der drohenden Gefahr auseinander.

Mit Propaganda-Angriffen wird fest gerechnet. In engsten Zirkeln im Regierungsviertel werden derzeit Gegenstrategien entwickelt. Ziel ist es, sich bestmöglich vorzubereiten, um im Fall der Einflußnahme schnell reagieren, die Propaganda entlarven und den Schaden begrenzen zu können.

Gressel bestätigt: „Jeder in und um die Bundesregierung geht davon aus, daß es zu den Bundestagswahlen zu Versuchen der Einflußnahme durch Rußland kommen wird. Die Frage ist nur wie und wo.“ In vielen Ämtern in Berlin herrsche deshalb „Alarmstimmung“.

Russlands informasjonskrig er en dyster suksess

www.aftenposten.no/meninger/kommentar/Russlands-informasjonskrig-er-en-dyster-suksess--Frank-Rossavik-610660b.html

7. desember 2016

En gammel orden har mistet tillit. En ny og spinnvill orden kan være i ferd med å ta over.

Lyspunktet er at det kanskje finnes en grense, tross alt. Tirsdag sparket Donald Trump Michael G. Flynn, sønn av sin utpekte sikkerhetsrådgiver Michael T. Flynn.

Alt tyder på at Flynn Jr. fikk sparken fordi han har brukt Twitter til å spre falske «nyheter», blant annet en som kobler Hillary Clinton til en barnesex-ring.

BBC melder at det ble sendt nesten en million Twitter-meldinger om «saken» bare i november.

Hillary Clinton og barnesex? Nei, ikke sant, men det finnes altså folk som er villige til å tro på slikt.

Forresten er også løgner om Trump blitt spredt, om enn i mindre omfang. Mest kjent er et falskt sitat fra 1998 om at hvis han skulle stille som presidentkandidat, måtte det bli for republikanerne, for deres velgere er villige til å tro hva som helst.

«Om det ikke er sant, er det godt jugi», som det het i et NRK-program.

Liksom-nyheter

Konspirasjonsteorier er en lang tradisjon i amerikansk politikk, men de har antagelig ikke avgjort valg inntil nå. Denne gangen kan de mange falske historiene som svirret om Clinton ha bidratt avgjørende til Trumps knappe seier.

Grunnen er like enkel som nedslående: Det kommer stadig flere nettsteder som ser solide ut og tilsynelatende formidler nyheter, men som i realiteten sprer løgn.

De er ikke så lette å avsløre. Spesielt vanskelig blir det hvis leseren heller ikke er kritisk i utgangspunktet. Intet er som kjent mer attraktivt enn å få bekreftet egne fordommer.

I e-postboksen min har jeg fortsatt en korrespondanse med en bekjent av meg i Bergen fra februar 2015. Han er en SV-er av den mer naive typen, men et godt menneske og ikke dum.

Tragikomisk

Han var oppbrakt fordi jeg i mine kommentarer i Bergens Tidende tok Ukrainas parti i krigen mot de russiskstøttede opprørerne øst i landet. Nå hadde han oppdaget en nyhetssak om at det ikke fantes russiske soldater i landet.

Det tok meg et minutt å finne ut at det canadiske nettstedet han siterte er kjent for å spre løgn. Antagelig er det også finansiert fra Russland.

Min bekjente og jeg utvekslet noen hissige e-poster, men han innså at han var blitt lurt og vi tok til slutt en kaffe for å skvære opp.

Det tragikomiske er at hovedforklaringen på at falske nyheter nå svirrer rundt overalt også ligner en konspirasjonsteori: Vladimir Putin står bak.

Russland på alle kanter

Amerikansk etterretning mener å ha beviser for at Russland sto bak hackingen av det demokratiske partiets e-postserver. Russerne skal så ha levert sine funn videre til Wikileaks, som slapp dem i porsjoner gjennom valgkampen. Hensikten var å øke sjansene for at Trump vant.

Russiske propagandister skal i tillegg ha bidratt til spredningen av falske nyheter.

Rusland står dessuten bak en avansert informasjonskrig mot Vesten, både ved å finansiere «nyhetsnettsteder», ved å betale såkalte troll for å kverulere russlandvennlig i sosiale medier og med andre metoder.

Det er ikke lett å tro på at verden er blitt så sprø, men jeg heller etter hvert mot at den er det.

Hva er svaret?

Tysk etterretning advarte nylig mot at Russland kan komme til å prøve å påvirke forbundsdagsvalget neste høst på samme måte som det amerikanske presidentvalget. Informasjonskrigen fra Moskva har allerede bidratt til at det russiske synet på for eksempel ukrainakonflikten er utbredt i Tyskland, ikke bare på ytre høyre og ytre venstre fløy.

Russlands forbindelser til europeisk ytre høyre er ellers godt dokumenterte. Franske Front National, hvis leder Marine Le Pen kan bli president til våren, har mottatt penger fra Russland og legger ingen skjul på sine bånd til Moskva.

Hva er svaret? Skal man opprette en mengde nettsteder som ser russiske ut for å spre vestlige nyheter og vestlig virkelighetsoppfatning i øst, fortrinnsvis det som er sant?

Akutt krise

Situasjonen er i alle fall en stor utfordring for etablerte politikere, institusjoner og medier, for noe av grunnen til at en ny og spinnvill orden kan være i ferd med å ta kontroll, er selvsagt at den gamle har mistet troverdighet.

Troverdigheten må gjenopprettes med bedre inkludering av marginaliserte grupper og annen politikk, men det vil ta tid og krisen er akutt.

Russlands president har forstått at tillit til politikere, institusjoner og medier er et demokratis viktigste kapital. Ved å undergrave tilliten, kan han svekke sine fiender. I en verden der alt er relativt og ingenting er sant, vil folk som Putin kunne herske.

Frank Rossavik

Russia biggest source of cyberattacks on Sweden: Intelligence head

www.thelocal.se/20161212/russia-biggest-source-of-cyberattacks-on-sweden-intelligence-head

December 12, 2016

Russia is the biggest source of cyberattacks and influence operations against Sweden, according to the head of the Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service (Must).

Must is the branch of the Swedish Armed Forces that is the main foreign intelligence agency in the country. Its head, Major General Gunnar Karlson, spoke openly about Russian attempts to influence Sweden during an interview with SVT’s Agenda show on Sunday evening.

“It is pretty easy for me to say – many of the activities we are subject to have a clear sender, they can be traced more or less directly. It can be about spreading false information, bending the truth, and emphasizing some arguments more than others to make it difficult to get a clearer picture of what is happening,” Karlson said.

Cyberattacks which among other things attempt to gain access to intelligence are ongoing and have long taken place, he claimed.

“It is a serious threat because in different ways they can push themselves in to the very foundations of a democracy and and influence democratic decision-making,” Karlson noted.

The Must head explained that his agency often sees influence operations (operations focusing on affecting the behaviours of groups or populations) targeted against Sweden, citing the example of a falsified letter purporting to have been written by Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist.

“That was easy to expose but clearly targeted against Sweden. It’s often not the individual influence operations that do the worst damage, but it risks leading to a general mistrust of information.”

Last year a report by Sweden’s Security Service Säpo labelled Russian espionage against the country as “extensive”.