Venäjän sota jokaista vastaan ja mitä se sinulle merkitsee

by Keir Giles, Kyösti Karvonen (Translator)

Kuka tahansa voi olla Venäjän salaisen sodan kohteena.

Venäjä lisää häikäilemättömästi vaikutusvaltaansa kaikkialla maailmassa. Mitä se merkitsee paitsi eri maiden hallituksille myös tavallisille ihmisille?

Kirjassa valotetaan kulissien takaista kamppailua, jolla yritetään suojella eri maiden hallituksia, yrityksiä, yhteiskuntia ja yksityisiä ihmisiä Venäjän vihamieliseltä toiminnalta. Giles osoittaa, kuinka Venäjän pyrkimykset ovat paljon laajempia ja kunnianhimoisempia, ja käytössä olevat keinot paljon vahingollisempia kuin mitä mediaotsikoista voi päätellä. Gilesin Moskovan opit kertoi, miksi Venäjä hyökkää länttä vastaan. Tämä kirja tarkastelee sitä, miten se sen tekee. Näemme, miten Venäjä toteuttaa operaatioitaan ympäri maailmaa ja miten kukaan ei ole liian vähäpätöinen ollakseen kohteena.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Russia, History, War, Audiobook, Ukraine

414 pages, Hardcover

First published November 17, 2022

About the author

KEIR GILES has spent his career watching, studying and explaining Russia.

Keir works with Chatham House in London, and the Conflict Studies Research Centre, a small group of experts in defence and security. Outside the UK, he has provided advice, analysis and expertise on Russia across Europe and North America.

Reviews

[Antigone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was part of a conversation recently about the incursion of Russian fighter jets into the airspace of NATO nations; these pinpricks of violation; this testing of response. It has been going on for quite some time, longer certainly than is required to establish the coordinates of an authentic boundary and mark off the limitation. Months go by with week after week of this and it begins to take on the flavor of taunting; less a strategic maneuver than a dare. A dare to do something. A man said it was very much like the little brother on the couch, holding his hand an inch from the face of his older sibling as he chants, "I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you." And we all know how that turns out.

Keir Giles would agree with this comparison. Russia is, he believes, quite enamored of the West and longing - genuinely longing - to be attended to as an equal, to be included as an equal, to be delivered what it contends to be its rightful measure of respect. Tough I think, these days, to go back to that Cold War footing, yet this is just the sort of clash of temperament upon which world wars are built, and so it bears considering.

Keir Giles would also agree with Svetlana Alexievich's declaration of her motherland - At heart, we're built for war. We were always either fighting or preparing to fight. We've never known anything else. Russia, he observes, never departs its martial posture, never relaxes its battle stance. When the West foolishly imagines a period of peace is in place, we can be sure Russia believes no such thing but is happy to take advantage of the misapprehension with fresh efforts of espionage, sabotage, and assassination. Russia and its many governments to date - and Giles does the work to support this - have had no interest in peace even as a concept. Peace holds not the slightest appeal to the leaders of this nation and is useful only in the manner it can be used to distract.

There was a time I might have found such assertions too paranoid for my taste. Then, of course, I remember that line from Catch-22, and I remember all the history I've read, and I remember that the world can only truly be surprised by a piece of idiocy it didn't actually expect. So, too, do I recognize that the cradle of Russian civilization is Kyiv and not, as Mr. Putin would have it, the other way around. Moscow has, from an historical view, gone to war against its parent. And that is something else to consider from all the perspectives available to us.

This is a good book. Profoundly depressing, yes, but quite good.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expect to see a flurry of one and two star reviews for this book from Putin's army of monkeys with typewriters. Ignore them. This book is written by Keir Giles, who is a Senior Consulting Fellow for the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House. He speaks with authority on the topic of Russia's world-view and goals and the risks we all are facing because we don't take the malevolence of the Russian Federation seriously enough.

Giles shows how Russia uses the west's openness, innate decency and democracy as tools to destroy those very things. Russia's antipathy to the west is all encompassing, as is Putin's ruthlessness. No enemy is too small to destroy, nor too big. This book will shock and inform you. I urge you to read it.

If you think the current war is just about Ukraine, you need to read this book.
If you think the road to peace is negotiation, you need to read this book.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember someone mentioning the word: appeasement! It was in 1938, in Munich. Didn't work. Cost more, I'm told and not just dosh. They say, history repeats itself and we fail to learn the lesson of the past.
This is a shocking account of how dangerous Putin's Russia is. And not just for the Russian people.
Is it that too many people have fingers in too many pies; or is it again just Western appeasement?

[Claire Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author, we are told, has the runs on the board: he writes from an informed background. He tells us Russia under its current leadership has its fingers in every foreign pie they possibly can. I read in a novel, just recently, how Britain's intelligence services are quite aware Russia funds terrorist groups and organised crime gangs; all in an effort to influence the politics within those countries they see as adversarial.
This is not fiction and is most telling of how Western powers are being aggressively targeted. I don't disbelieve any of it.
It's scary.

[GreyAtlas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keir Giles hates Russia and wants everyone to know it. Yet, in his blind rush to pump out the next headline driven book on the topic, he certainly defined himself as a "clickbait scholar". His bias is evident, strong, but not as strong as I expected. There is some good knowledge here with fresh takes and insightful interviews, but overall I found it was a bit disorganized, repetitive, and lacking in full scope of WHY Russia is this way. As I periodically scanned the references used at the bottom of the page, I saw nothing but major media sites from current events. There is no counter narrative of dissidents or historical trauma from past invasions (Hitler, Napoleon, the Mongols). It's just a 200+ page rampage of fearmongering without empathy. Russia is not North Korea, despite what the author may lead the reader to believe. Overall this was a good effort, but lacked a full understanding and perspective of cause and effect.

An advance copy was provided kindly by the publisher upon request via NetGalley.com

[Mariya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished read this book.
It’s explained why Russia started the war in Ukraine. Historically behavior of Russia lays of century ego….
Author give us very detailed different bad, arrogant situations abroad and inside the Russia .
It’s give me better understanding position Russian government towards other countries….
Thanks for allowing me to read the book…

[Ula Tardigrade · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to understand how on Earth it is possible that we have a regular, brutal war raging for almost a year in Europe and you have time to read only one book, choose this one. If you’ve read tons of books about geopolitics and Russia, don’t miss it either – it is fresh, eye-opening, and worth reading no matter what your current state of knowledge is.

These are not purely theoretical considerations – the author doesn’t rely only on his own, though impressive enough, experience but quotes numerous ‘Russia-watchers’, from leading politicians and diplomats to military and intelligence officers to experts from think tanks and academia. Every argument is supported by real-life examples and the countless footnotes are a treasure trove for anyone researching this topic.

Plus, it is so well written that I couldn’t put it down. I wish everyone could read it and finally, the attitudes towards Russia could change, so there will be no more such calamities as the despicable war in Ukraine.

Many thanks to the publisher, Bloomsbury Academic, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

[ForenSeek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional book, truly. Giles is a real political analyst and scientist: he doesn't give a sh*t about "russophobia" or any of the other KGB-created terms used to silence criticisms of Russia's oppression of its neighbors. Giles has the intellectual rigor and courage to look at Russia as it is, as opposed to looking at it through a scope of political correctness and a fear of offending anyone. Russia needs to be forced to face its cruel past and present - otherwise we face a future of constant conflicts with it. One of the most important books of 2022. Read it.

[Paula Korkala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jos luet vain yhden kirjan Venäjästä, lue tämä. Tämä on selkeä, kattava ja informatiivinen teos Venäjän toiminnasta ja asenteesta, venäläisestä ajattelusta verrattuna länsimaiseen ajatteluun. Onneksi vihdoin näistä asioista kirjoitetaan ja puhutaan ääneen, eikä länsimainen hyssyttely enää vaienna totuutta. Ainakaan tällä hetkellä. Tämä kirja opettaa, ettei historiaa pidä unohtaa, koska se toistaa itseään.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kier Giles is the director of the Conflict Studies Research Center and has spent his career studying Russia. He knows from experience that Russia has waged a clandestine war against the West for decades and that the conciliatory policies of the NATO countries has embolden it to take a more. aggressive position. The book was completed in October 2021 but had to be totally rewritten after the invasion of Ukraine. The book details his thesis that the Kremlin plays by a different set of rules than the rest of the world. Russia uses every tactic available to subvert western countries and promote its own interests.
The author notes that Russia’s destructive activity is driven by its status anxiety. Russia considers itself a superpower but believes that the West fails to grant it the respect it deserves. It therefore takes aggressive positions in every arena, often to bring havoc rather than to promote its interests. In diplomatic relations, it plays games with the wording of treaties. The author quotes James Sherr who states: ”The Russians are the neighbors from hell. If you finally conclude a written agreement that they will stop parking their car on your lawn, don’t be surprised if they park their truck there instead.” Analysts of Russia follow the truism: “Never believe anything until the Kremlin denies it. “
The book is detailed and carefully documented and footnoted. It is an eye opening look at what Reagan called “The Evil Empire.”
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Essi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puhutteleva, pysäyttäväkin teos siitä, miten Venäjä itseään asemoi ja miten se muuhun maailmaan, etenkin länsimaihin suhtautuu. Kylmäävää luettavaa.
Kuuntelin tämän äänikirjana, ja lukijan tapa ääntää joitain vieraskielisiä nimiä ja sanoja otti korvaan joka kerta.

[Pekka Mukkala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luin Keir Gilesin kirjan suomeksi. Kirja on ehkä tärkein Ukrainan sodan syttymisen jälkeen kirjoitettu analyysi Venäjän turvallisuuspolitiikasta. Giles käy raadollisesti läpi Venäjän toimintaa Euroopassa, kun se on pyrkinyt vaikuttamaan eurooppalaisiin valtioihin. Venäjän väkivaltaisten keinojen määrä on pitkä ja kun siihen liitetään uhkailut ja painostukset on koossa aika karmea valikoima rikollisia toimintatapoja. Lopussa Giles päätyy yhteen perustavanlaatuisiin neuvoon. Venäjälle on laitettava jyrkkä pysäytys, koska se toimiin jatkuvasti rikkoen kansainvälistä ja kansallista oikeutta. Tämä on tärkeä kirja ja se kannattaa lukea, jos Venäjän kansainvälinen tilanne kiinnostaa. Tämä kirja kertoo, miksi maskit on nyt kokonaan pudotettu. Pisteet 10/10.

[Regina Mastrogiacomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book about how Russia thinks about the rest of the world and why it acts the way it does. A lot of the book is frightening and very sad but it is better to know what motivates them and not be surprise by it. I always thought the Russians were fascinating people and that they have endured much hardship in their history and this book points out how different they see the world.
If you read this book be brave, there are a lot of scary stuff in this book but it's worth reading.

I want to thank Bloomsbury Academic and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

[Pellervo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book probably is among the top five in the new Russia horror nonfiction genre. The author presents very well researched analysis of the Russian global campaign of violence.

As much as I appreciate this kind fact-based reporting, I admit that the grim reality is quite hard to stomach. In a way of presenting a very bleak picture of the world, this book is simultaneously a challenge and a must-read.

[Jaakko Nikko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaikkien pitäisi lukea tämä kirja!

[Merilin Notton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone who has grown up outside the formerly occupied territories of the USSR and a good reminder of the dangers of living next to Russia for anyone who's already had a historic first-hand experience with it.
I too wanted to believe that it is possible to coexist with this country and build lasting international relations, but as Keir Giles and many other Russian researchers conclude: it's simply impossible to 'collaborate' with Russia. In their world, there are winners and losers and there is no room for a win-win solution.

[Ivan Soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an absolute knock-out of a book. I was most impressed by chapter six, which details, with examples, how Russia disturbs the world non-stop.

(I just hope that the world finds an effective way to persuade Russia that it's not entitled to any "sphere of influence" and that a constructive coexistence requires their abandonment of perpetual spreading of misery and malevolence, such as it's most obvious in Ukraine, Syria, and Georgia.)

[Mavi · Rating 5 out of 5]

must read if you're alive in 2023

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic overview of Russian drive and methodology. Easily digestible and thorough, this provides a great summary for people to better understand how the Ukraine war is influenced by Russias history and methods.

[Kateryna · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a must read for everyone who thinks Russia is just a Ukraine's problem.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russia's War on Everybody
By Keir Giles

This is an in-depth look at the Russian psyche – and the history behind the paranoia that shapes Russian policy and belief systems as regards Russia's outlook concerning the rest of the world. It is an enlightening read and helps the western reader understand why the Russian Bear is constantly in a state of aggression with all the countries it sees as enemies.

It is also a somewhat scary look at just how different the Russian mentality is when compared to western nations. If we fail to comprehend the

[PolishPierog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and also disappointing how little democratic countries are doing to counter Russian disinformation. Also other fascist nations are using it as a template on how to manipulate it's own and other countries population.

[Corrina Westfall · Rating 5 out of 5]

so informative wow!! Great read.. kinda drags out in some parts but still an amazing read

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered why Russia is always trying to invade other countries, interfere with other governments, or kills people who speak out against it? This book will answer so many of your questions and give you a better understanding of what is going on behind that curtain, I learned a lot from this book, and it's told in a very compelling manner.

[Audrey Bartosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book that seems to conform with many of my own personal observations of Russian behavior re Ukraine, but in many instances it feels like the author is making some pretty bold claims but with insufficient examples to back them up, and in some cases it felt repetitive.

[JuneyD · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those scanning the geopolitical wires, they'll know of some of the concerns people have of Russia's global agenda.
Mr Keir does a grand job putting many of those fears into focus. A most revealing read; and I would say is valuable addition to the debate.

[Jukka Aakula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Varsin erinomainen kirja Venäjän sodasta kaikkia vastaan ja siitä, miten Länsi on helmikuuhun 2022 asti epäonnistunut a) vastaamaan Venäjän jatkuviin kyber- yms. hyökkäyksiin Länttä kohtaan ja b) tukemaan etupiirivaltiota, kun Venäjä on harjoittanut agressiota niitä kohtaan.

Ja siitä miten Länsi on kieltäytynyt tunnustamasta Venäjän todellista luonnetta ja miten Länsi on kuvitellut, että Venäjän toiminta on jonkinlainen anomalia normaalista, joka selittyy Ukrainan tilanteen tai Putinin persoonan erityispiirteillä - tai jopa sillä että Länsi on astunut Venäjän etupiiriin ja loukannut näin sitä.

Onneksi tilanne on muuttumassa. Etulinjan maista Suomi ja Ruotsi ovat ymmärtäneet kuuluvansa samaan Euroopan henkiseen ydinryhmään kuin Baltia ja Puola. Saksassa ja Ranskassa ymmärrys on edelleen vajaata ja parhaimmillaan ne kykenevät seuraamaan etupiirimaiden toimintaa ja taipumaan niiden painostukseen. Pahimmillaan ne kehittelevät Ukrainan sotaan omia "ratkaisujaan", jotka perustuvat Venäjän "ymmärtämiseen" ja haluun palauttaa aiempi status quo.

"Todellisuuden tunnustamisessa tarvitaan myös rehellisyyttä. Ensimmäinen askel sitä kohti on myöntää, että jokainen uusi shokki Venäjältä, mukaan lukien avoin sodankäynti Ukrainassa, ei ole "nykyinen kriisi", vaan oire pysyvästä todellisuudesta. Venäjä tulee edelleen katsomaan olevansa konfliktissa paljon useamman maan kuin Ukrainan kanssa ja priorisoimaan keinoja vahingoittaa vastustajiaan.

Paradoksaalista kyllä, kun hyväksyy todellisuuden, on myös myönnettävä, että Kreml elää toisessa todellisuudessa. Robert Pszczel sanoo, että "jos todella kunnioittaa Venäjää, heidät on otettava sellaisina kuin he ovat". Ei pidä suhtautua Kremliin alentuvasti teeskentelemällä, etteivät he tarkoittaisi, mitä he sanovat tai tekevät, ja että kaikki olisi yhtä suurta väärinymmärrystä. Tämä on olennaista jotta ymmärtäisi, mitä Venäjä saattaa tehdä seuraavaksi ja miten estää se. Kaikkien ennustusten, miten Venäjä saattaisi reagoida johonkin tilanteeseen, pitää perustua Kremlin maailmankuvaan eikä siihen, mikä "kuulostaa järkevältä lännessä. Tässä Kremlin maailmankuvassa perusoletus vihamielisestä teosta ja konfliktista on, että aggressiolla on vähän hävittävää ja paljon voitettavaa.

Kremlin maailmankuvaan sisältyy myös se, että menestymistä ja epäonnistumista mitataan hyvin eri tavalla [kuin lännessä]. Olemme nähneet toistamiseen, kuinka Venäjä vähät välittää sellaisesta, mikä olisi lännelle suuri takaisku, koska se ei ole relevanttia Venäjän mielessä olevan lopputavoitteen kannalta.

Kun länsimaat ovat yksittäin tai yhdessä hyväksyneet sen, ettei niiden Venäjä-suhteen luonne tule muuttumaan, niillä on edessään kysymys, mitä tehdä asialle. Mitä tahansa ne tekevätkin, on elintärkeää, että ne tekevät sen yhdessä. Mikään yksittäinen eurooppalaismaa ei voi vastustaa Venäjää yksin, ja maanosan voima tulee yhtenäisyydestä. Yhteisillä vastauksilla on eksponentiaalisesti suurempi arvo sekä niiden tuottamassa tehossa että sen osoittamiseksi, ettei yksittäisiä kumppaneita voida ampua alas yksi kerrallaan. Nato ja nopean toiminnan joukko JEF (Joint Expeditionary Force) ovat paikalla varmistamassa sitä, että maat voivat vastata yhdessä Venäjän sotilaallisiin uhkiin. Halukkaiden koalitioita, suuria ja pieniä, pitäisi kuitenkin perustaa vastaamaan sekä sotilaallisiin että ei-sotilaallisiin haasteisiin, jotta niillä voitaisiin parantaa kriisinsietokykyä ja osoittaa tahtoa ryhtyä vastatoimiin.

Sitkeästi elävä väite kuuluu, että Nato on syypää Moskovan kanssa käytävään yhteenottoon, koska se hyväksyi jäsenikseen Venäjää lähellä olevia maita. Väite tulee jauhamaan jauhamistaan riippumatta siitä, miten kaukana se on totuudesta. Loppujen lopuksihan Naton ei tarvinnut olla lähelläkään, kun Venäjä jo käytti sitä tekosyynä miehittääkseen naapurimaitaan. Ja kuten nähtiin luvussa 4, Nato-jäsenyys on itse asiassa osoittautunut vahvim- maksi vakauttavaksi tekijäksi koko Itämeren alueella."

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 1 out of 5]

merely a 250 page opinion piece and not much else

----

International Affairs
Nov 8, 2022
Are realist explanations of the causes of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, particularly John Mearsheimer's charge of western responsibility, correct?

Despised and derided in the wider world, it seems John Mearsheimer is still the subject of serious and ponderous debate among his own tribe of “international relations” academics.

Keir Giles, Twitter

......

We shall see how their predictions fare in the very near future!

---

i get the feeling he didn't fare well in the 'literature'
watch this freakshow below!

----

Keir on Twitter/X
January 2025

Quick note–to–self recap on who now urgently needs nuclear weapons.

Ukraine - to hold back Russia after US aid ends
Central Europe - as a counter to Russian nuclear threats after US extended deterrence is withdrawn



[coughs, the master geostrategist as always]

----

The Independent
January 2025

Across Nato, ministers of defence, defence intelligence chiefs, and senior military officers have been near-unanimous in confirming that Russia is preparing to attack a Nato state.... Seemingly the sole exception to this consensus is the UK’s own chief of the defence staff, Admiral Tony Radakin, who instead states confidently and repeatedly that Russia will not attack any Nato nation.

[only a touch unrealistic]

----

The Journal of European Studies

The blatantly partisan tone and obvious bias of Keir Giles new book is immediately plain from its dedication, which shows exactly where the authors antipathies lie. It is worth quoting in full:

'This book is dedicated to Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN with thanks for finally convinvig the world of the depths of evil his country is still willing to perpetrate - and of the need to defend itself against them.'

The give-away, of course, is the words 'the depths of evil his country is still willing to perpetrate'. Leaving aside the question of whether 'depths' can be 'perpetrated', Giles is clearly referring to President Putin's unleashing of all-out-war on independent Ukraine in February 2022, exactly one year before this review is being written.

The whole volume is in fact an undisguised, sustained diatribe against, not just the Russian President (with ample justification), but 'everything' Russian. The nation's history, it's politics, culture, Weltanschuung, the way it conducts its foreign and domestic policies, even the Russian people - all come in at some point or another for opprobrium or various levels of vilification.

To be fair, our writer does make some attempt to make a distinction between Russia qua 'country' and russia qua the 'ordinary people living within it'. He concedes that not all Russian citizens are slavish toe-ers of the Kremlin life, indeed some risk great personal danger in oppositing or challenging it, though the majority, according to Giles, do fall obediently into step as a result of indoctrination, brainwashing or threat of persecution - again, the negative implication being that you average Russian is either too obtuse, credulous or craven to doubt official doctrine.

Giles is also contemptuous of those in the West whom he dismisses as 'apologists' or 'defenders of Russia', who irritatingly persist in asking 'whatabout?' similar activities carried out by the West - such as launching wars in and against foreign countries (e.g. Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan).

'That's not the point' is his lame report.
'This book is about what Russia does and what that means for the people it does it to.'

This is simply a cop-out. It is surely legitimate to ask whether the kind of crimes of which Eussia is accusedare not also carried out in other parts of the world by other countries with equal lack of legitimacy or geopolitical justification.

Pots denigrating kettles comes to mind.

......


At least Mearsheimer gets excellent reviews
and his reviews of other books GET noticed...

.......
.......

He's one of the most interesting of the class of aggressive hysterics, I fear.

I was shocked that he seems to believe hook, line and sinker the world view of Yuri Bezmenov.

Who seems to be the darling of the John Birchers, Austrian Economists, Tea Partiers, and James Jesus Angleton's of the world.

"Bezmenov is best remembered for his anti-Marxist, anti-Soviet, and anti-atheist lectures and books published in the 1980s."

.........

Disputes over authenticity of Bezmenov's KGB Officer status, political affiliation, and conspiracy theories

Doubts have been expressed regarding Bezmenov's KGB role, if any; according to some sources, Bezmenov was not a part of the KGB First Chief Directorate.

Bezmenov's audiences have included American far-right and anti-communist movements, to whom he often gave speeches and lectures on their platforms. One of such is his interview with conspiracy theorist G. Edward Griffin. Bezmenov himself was involved with the anti-communist and far-right Unification Church and the John Birch Society.

When questioned about his association with the John Birch Society and the doubts raised about his allegiance, he responded "I'm not a member. I don't agree with everything they say", and stated that he resorted to right-wing platforms as a result of mainstream media outlets refusing to provide him with a platform, such as The New York Times.

..........

Legacy

Since his death, Bezmenov's "Soviet subversion model" has been studied and interpreted by faculty and staff at the Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) to analyze historical events, including the decade-long Russian campaign that preceded the 2008 Russo-Georgian War.

His work has also been cited by senior director of UPenn's Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Michael R. Carpenter.

His lectures have also been used by Yale senior lecturer Asha Rangappa, to illustrate the concept of active measures in the Soviet Union's supposed disinformation campaigns in the United States.

........

As I mentioned before, exposure to true information does not matter anymore. A person who is demoralized is unable to assess true information. The facts tell him nothing, even if I shower him with information, with authentic proof, with documents and pictures. …he will refuse to believe it… That's the tragedy of the situation of demoralization.
Yuri Bezmenov [1983]

........


Pro-American literature and lectures (Los Angeles, 1981–1986)

He moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s. In 1983, at a lecture in Los Angeles, Bezmenov expressed the opinion that he "wouldn't be surprised" if the Soviet Union had shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 in order to kill Larry McDonald, an anti-communist Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives. Around the same time, Bezmenov had a child in the West, a daughter named Tanya. He later had a son named Jonathan.

[Larry McDonald maintained the most conservative voting record of any Democrat in Congress and crusaded against communism. He became chairman of the John Birch Society in 1983, months before his death. He was remembered as a martyr by American conservatives.]

[In 1979, with John Rees and Major General John K. Singlaub, McDonald founded the Western Goals Foundation.]

[According to The Spokesman-Review, it was intended to "blunt subversion, terrorism, and communism" by filling the gap "created by the disbanding of the House Un-American Activities Committee and what [McDonald] considered to be the crippling of the FBI during the 1970s". McDonald became the chairman of the John Birch Society in 1983, succeeding Robert Welch]

[At the time of his death, Western Goals was being sued by the ACLU for obtaining illegal Los Angeles Police Department Intelligence Files from 1975 that had been ordered destroyed and computerizing them in a database on a $100,000 computer in Long Beach at the house of an attorney connected to the U.S. intelligence community. Many of these files concerned individuals from Ronald Reagan's term as Governor of California, and it was speculated that Western Goals was using these files to blackmail figures in the Reagan Presidential Administration.]

In 1984, he gave an interview to G. Edward Griffin, titled 'Soviet Subversion of the Free World Press'. In the interview, Bezmenov stated that the KGB wanted the political system of the United States to gradually be subverted and explained methods that they were supposedly using.

The main emphasis of the KGB is not in the area of intelligence at all. Only about 15% of time, money, and manpower is spent on espionage and such. The other 85% is a slow process which we call either ideological subversion or active measures… or psychological warfare.

........

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone not living in a cave has become aware of Russia's actions on the world stage. If you are interested in some of the details of particular cases and likely reasons why, then read Gile's Russia's War on Everybody!

Keir Giles in eight short chapters provides a wealth of documented information on how Russia seeks to influence people and events around the world for their benefit. He starts by providing context on what makes Russia so different and strange in comparison to other European countries. The next chapter examines how the concept of politics as warfare by other means plays out in the Kremlin and Russia at large. There is a chapter discussing Russia's role in Brexit and Trump's 2016 campaign among other issues. Then the role of the Russian military in influencing global politics comes to the fore. Chapter 5 does a deep dive into how Russia's actions affect individual people. Chapter 6 discusses the role of bribery, wealth, and "willing accomplices" allow Russia access and leverage. The next to last chapter show how Russia has intertwined business, statecraft, and crime for its own benefit. Giles finishes the book with a warning on what might come next. He also provides a list of selected readings and documentation for his arguments.

If you are interested in understanding current geopolitics, Russia's War on Everybody would be a good title to read..

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why a book about Russia and its war on the world? How does it affect us? The author has collected information that is about waging a secret war against the West for years. There are hostile acts in countries throughout the world. They have interfered in elections, done murder, hacking which appears to be the Kremlin’s daily business. Why does Russia do this? Russia does it for more power and influence which means not just governments but people. The author brings stories from the military, diplomacy, politics, cyber power and organized crime plus more. Russia’s hostile intentions for the rest of the world are far broader and pervasive and damaging than we are aware of.

It’s a scary book to think that Russia has been doing the things they do to win. It’s a book that will make you think and if nothing else wonder about Russia. It’s a book that needs to be read by everyone.

Disclaimer. I received this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.