Russia

Covert Contact

The Poisoning of Sergei Skripal

Fred Burton joined me shortly after the attack on Sergei Skripal. We look at the many implications of this brazen attack, security issues surrounding it, and the need for a serious response.

Covert Contact

North Korean Cryptocurrency Ops

In episode 91 security researcher and Stratfor Global Fellow Scot Terban (AKA Krypt3ia) joins me to discuss North Korea's sophisticated exploitation of cryptocurrency.

Covert Contact

Beyond Russia: Overlooked Counterintelligence Threats

Russian intelligence presents a significant challenge for the United States but it is far from the only threat. There are dozens of nations and non-state actors actively collecting against us at any given time.

Covert Contact

Counterintelligence in the Trump Era

William J. Tucker, regular contributor on counterintelligence topics for Blogs of War and Covert Contact, joins me to discuss the unprecedented challenge the Trump presidency poses to both U.S. counterintelligence and the intelligence community as whole.

Estonia

Estonian Defense League: Standing Against Russian Aggression Despite the Odds

Tiny Estonia has only one potential path to war but it is a terrifying one: Estonia, a NATO member with a population of 1.3 million people and a standing army of about

Covert Contact

Russia, Trump, and Hillary: What a Debate

In episode 62 I look at what may have been the most bizarre presidential debate in U.S. history. Covert Contact regular William J. Tucker joins me later in the show to discuss

Covert Contact

Putin’s Struggle for Relevancy and Power with William J. Tucker

Covert Contact regular William J. Tucker joins me for a quick look at Putin’s outlook and the challenges he faces despite domestic political wins, successful rounds of international meddling, and attempts to

Covert Contact

Talking Russia, Trump, and the 2016 Election with William J. Tucker

Regular Blogs of War and Covert Contact contributor William J. Tucker joined me on Covert Contact Sunday evening to dig into the 2016 election insanity from a counterintelligence perspective. The DNC email hacks

Covert Contact

Russian Hackers Run Wild on the DNC

Regular Blogs of War and Covert Contact contributor William J. Tucker joins me to discuss the apparent Russian state-sponsored hack of the DNC. We also spend quite a bit of time discussing the

Covert Contact

Cutting Through the Hybrid Warfare Hype

The conflict in Ukraine sparked a huge surge in interest in hybrid warfare. Phil Walter joins me in this episode to look at the less helpful aspects of that surge, discuss why the

Covert Contact

What Has Russia Gained in Syria?

Regular Blogs of War and Covert Contact contributor William J. Tucker joins me after a long break to discuss Russia’s intervention in Syria. Why are they there, what were their true motives,

Covert Contact

Russian Weakness with William J. Tucker

Episode 39 of Covert Contact explores our frequent inability to adequately understand Russia’s strengths and weaknesses. William J. Tucker joins me once again to look at the significant challenges weakening Russia, their

Covert Contact

Iran’s Quest for Regional Domination

This episode was recorded just after Iran briefly detained and released 10 American sailors. Researcher Phillip Smyth joined me to discuss that event, the explosion of terrible analysis that it triggered, Iran’s

Covert Contact

Saudi Arabia vs. Iran, The Burns Oregon Militia Standoff, and a New Segment on Russia

William J. Tucker joins me to review the escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the militia standoff in Burns, Oregon. Did Saudi Arabia go too far? Why is the federal government handling the armed militia members in Burns with kid gloves?

Covert Contact

Covert Contact Wraps up 2015 with William J. Tucker

Regular contributor William J. Tucker joined me for the final episode of 2015. We discussed holiday terror alerts, Poland’s unusual raid of a NATO-linked counterintelligence center that it operated with Slovakia, the

Covert Contact

Turkey Shot Down a Russian Jet - Where Do We Go From Here?

Putin called today’s downing of a Russian Su-24 by a Turkish F16 a “stab in the back” but it this was certainly not an unproved attack. In fact it follows countless warnings

Interviews

Anthony Bourdain Talks Travel, Food, and War

I’ve never met anyone interested in the world around them who isn’t terribly envious of Anthony Bourdain. Fans of his books and shows like No Reservations and Parts Unknown know that

Russia

65 Diplomats, Journalists, Spies, and Professors Who Will Help You Make Sense of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

*The usual disclaimers apply. This is not a complete list (it’s not even my complete list) and many informative accounts are not listed here. And of course I am not endorsing every

Russia

Syria's S-300 Air Defense System in Perspective

William J. Tucker serves as a senior security representative to a major government contractor where he acts as the Counterintelligence Officer, advises on counterterrorism issues, and prepares personnel for overseas travel. His additional