Nikolai Patru-shev, Russia’s Intelligence chief, made the following comment in an interview with the Moscow newspaper Kommer-sant 11/13/24:
“The election campaign is over. To achieve success in the election, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. As a responsible person, he will be obliged to fulfill them.” This is a mind-blowing bit of psychological warfare! The Russians are basically telling Trump:
We put you in office. Now it's time for you to pay us back.
After Trump/Vance bully pulpit show I’d say Trumps payback to PUTIN is alive and well.
Every member of the Republican establishment crawling, groveling for attention from Orange SHitler! obediently drinking the koolaid ! I do not want any brainwashed clown representing me. I’m your boss - you represent me and I do not accept this South African and his lapdog Orange SHitler .. how dare these clowns walk out of town halls and have constituents arrested when they ask questions: what the actual FUCK ..
By the way. He didn’t graduate from the Wharton School of Finance. His diploma is from University of Pennsylvania (also referred to as Penn). As an undergraduate (which he was) it is commonly known that one graduates from Penn with a “major” in a subject from one of the University’s colleges or schools. My BA for instance, is from Penn but my major was in Communications at the Annenberg School of Communications (right across Locust Walk from the Wharton School). It’s only graduate students who typically say they graduated from Wharton as in “I have a Wharton MBA”. Someone did a good write up on this and I am paraphrasing with my own knowledge as a Penn grad. The way he always says Wharton is deceptive and attempts to leverage the common usage so people assume he means MBA from Wharton.
Excellent analysis. Which begs the question, what about Malaria—I mean Melania Knauss? After Trump won the election, we saw RT (Sixty Minutes), release nude photos of her; was this a friendly reminder to The Donald to keep his promises, or a shot across the bow?
It’s also been claimed that Melania was a high end escort during her fashion days (speculation). And as a single guy living in Miami, I can personally collaborate that a lot of the Eastern Europe’s models are, indeed, high class escorts on the side. I’ve personally been approached by these ladies on several occasions in restaurant bars, and private events, like Art Basel.
And if these Eastern European intelligence agencies targeted Ivana, and her family, it reasons that Melania’s father must have been targeted as well. After all, her father, Victor Knavs, was a member of the communist party in Yugoslavia, and the family “lived very well even when times were lean” according to neighbors at the time. Just saying!…:)
FYI:
“The Kremlin said in remarks aired Sunday that the United States' sudden shift in foreign policy "largely aligns" with its own position. “The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely aligns with our vision," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a reporter from state television.” — Moscow Times, March 1, 2025
Its really shameful that none of this is not common knowledge at this point but here we are.
I’m sure that some of this info is common knowledge in New York as ‘Krasnov’ was always a bit of a 4th rate celebrity that nobody took very seriously till now.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for showing us the side of this that makes total sense based on facts not hyperbole.
It is appreciated. Can’t understand why no one has ever connected the dots as you so eloquently have. Unfortunately the solution to this equation has us where we are right now on the precipice of a total disaster for this country.
A Very interesting article-however, there are at least two paragraphs I noted, that are almost exact duplicates of one another...I imagine you are trying to turn out your stuff quickly and missed that you had already written your thoughts.
1) talking about Ivana’s father and then
2) describing the Jewish electronics store owner. Figured I would let you know in case you wanted to edit.
Very interesting; thanks. Also, typo under funeral pic and I couldn’t understand this line: “and notes that Ivana Czech with her children when they were in the US”
Thank you for this excellent, detailed, well sourced reportage. This is critical information that needs to be widely shared. Remarkably evocative of the re-watch my husband and I are doing right now of the Alec-Guinness-as-George-Smiley John Le Carré series from the '70s and '80s: "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and "Smiley's People." Carré, a former spy, weighed in on Trump’s connections to Putin in 2017, covered in various media: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/08/donald-trump-russia-putin?srsltid=AfmBOoo4vEMkgh4epKHZ0LdRagHjivjtzFaHFWZUXM4adcTMX7KfI7GO (read to bottom for link to NYT interview).
Thank you for the link (and the note directing me to the NYT article.
I found an interesting quote by Ben Macintyre: “Spying and fiction are not entirely different processes. You try to create an artificial world. And the better and more realistic and more emotionally believable you can make that world, as either a spy or a novelist, the better you are going to be at it.”
Seems to apply to Trump, Johnson, Rubio, Vance, Graham… shall I go on?
There are, in fact, more references existing that you will no doubt find, or already have. Very glad you are putting it together. One in Politico Magazine and another in the Times of India. I think it is getting legs but not to main media yet. I tried to feed it to Rachel Maddow. I think she is leading up to it. What is missing is hard evidence. The story so far is word of mouth from two KGB related individuals, another from Khazakstan (Soviet Union). Evidence is needed that will hold up in court.
Thank you, Michael! I appreciate your methodical approach and expert insights to this theory that so many of us have held for years. I look forward to reading more as you continue your analysis.
And while I understand that you don't want to appear to favor a specific conclusion before you're done, I think it's safe for you to declare that Trump is at a minimum acting in his own interests, rather than attributing it to some twisted advocacy for the US, without seeming partial. "His actions in the past week make it absolutely clear that at a minimum, he sees a synchronicity between US interests and Russian interests and wants to reshape US foreign policy around that belief", is far too forgiving.
I'm sure looking forward to the series! From someone who knows what he's doing!
I do have a suggestion for a deeper look at Trump's past: strangely,to me , I never saw anything from 2015 to now about Trump as an habitué at Studio 54.
In the popular press, Studio was usually depicted as nothing more than a glamorous nightclub frequented by Cafe Society - A List celebrities, entertainers, politicians, businessmen adept at manipulating the tabloid press. It was, in fact, a big time gay disco and a center for distribution of powder cocaine and other party drugs. The balcony was an orgy room, so I've heard, as well as a "back room" in the basement. (That's a completely dark room available for anonymous gay sex, a popular feature of gay bars in the '70's and a major vector for AIDS.) In other words, Studio was popular with the rich and famous for evenings "slumming".
There are lots of photos of Trump at Studio as well as comments that he was considered "boring" company; he really didn't drink or do drugs.* It's also said he never danced! That's believable, to judge from his campaign performances to that great gay anthem, "YMCA".
____
* which should rule out that sort of brain damage as an explanation for his erratic behavior.
Nikolai Patru-shev, Russia’s Intelligence chief, made the following comment in an interview with the Moscow newspaper Kommer-sant 11/13/24:
“The election campaign is over. To achieve success in the election, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. As a responsible person, he will be obliged to fulfill them.” This is a mind-blowing bit of psychological warfare! The Russians are basically telling Trump:
We put you in office. Now it's time for you to pay us back.
After Trump/Vance bully pulpit show I’d say Trumps payback to PUTIN is alive and well.
I wonder if Rupert Murdoch is somehow in this mix.
Rupert Murdoch is married to Elena Zhukova, herself formerly married to Russian oligarchy.
I’m so glad to see someone pulling on this thread! I hope it gets unraveled…look forward to following the rest of the story! Thank you 🙏
This is another Substack that is also getting some answers!! Share it often..https://open.substack.com/pub/closertotheedge/p/when-a-former-kgb-chief-shares-your?r=zq7qa&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Just on a hunch, I've always believed Melania was and is a spy.
It's the only logical explanation...
Ivana was also a "red swallow"
Do you mean “red sparrow”?
That is the p.c. woke version of the term 😆 but much less evocative and meaningful
Try reading a book sometimes...
Really? You had to add the snark at the end?
Why are there so many illiterate morans on a literature site?
Some people know that they don’t know everything and will ask questions. Why do you have to be snarky? Just answer the question or scroll on.
Truly understanding anything is a collaborative affair. Leave the ego at the door. It is an impediment to collaboration.
His handler.
Me too
This is absolutely baffling to me..
Every member of the Republican establishment crawling, groveling for attention from Orange SHitler! obediently drinking the koolaid ! I do not want any brainwashed clown representing me. I’m your boss - you represent me and I do not accept this South African and his lapdog Orange SHitler .. how dare these clowns walk out of town halls and have constituents arrested when they ask questions: what the actual FUCK ..
Very interesting thank you!
By the way. He didn’t graduate from the Wharton School of Finance. His diploma is from University of Pennsylvania (also referred to as Penn). As an undergraduate (which he was) it is commonly known that one graduates from Penn with a “major” in a subject from one of the University’s colleges or schools. My BA for instance, is from Penn but my major was in Communications at the Annenberg School of Communications (right across Locust Walk from the Wharton School). It’s only graduate students who typically say they graduated from Wharton as in “I have a Wharton MBA”. Someone did a good write up on this and I am paraphrasing with my own knowledge as a Penn grad. The way he always says Wharton is deceptive and attempts to leverage the common usage so people assume he means MBA from Wharton.
Excellent analysis. Which begs the question, what about Malaria—I mean Melania Knauss? After Trump won the election, we saw RT (Sixty Minutes), release nude photos of her; was this a friendly reminder to The Donald to keep his promises, or a shot across the bow?
It’s also been claimed that Melania was a high end escort during her fashion days (speculation). And as a single guy living in Miami, I can personally collaborate that a lot of the Eastern Europe’s models are, indeed, high class escorts on the side. I’ve personally been approached by these ladies on several occasions in restaurant bars, and private events, like Art Basel.
And if these Eastern European intelligence agencies targeted Ivana, and her family, it reasons that Melania’s father must have been targeted as well. After all, her father, Victor Knavs, was a member of the communist party in Yugoslavia, and the family “lived very well even when times were lean” according to neighbors at the time. Just saying!…:)
FYI:
“The Kremlin said in remarks aired Sunday that the United States' sudden shift in foreign policy "largely aligns" with its own position. “The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely aligns with our vision," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a reporter from state television.” — Moscow Times, March 1, 2025
Ivana's whole family was in the Czech KGB, which is why the mom was a telephone "operator" and why Ivana was allowed to travel ☝️
Is this confirmed, or just speculation?
is this the first time Trump has been caught in bed with the KGB? 😄
Depends on whether you believe your own lyin' eyes or not...
They don’t call Trump the “gaslighter in Chief” for nothing….:)
Its really shameful that none of this is not common knowledge at this point but here we are.
I’m sure that some of this info is common knowledge in New York as ‘Krasnov’ was always a bit of a 4th rate celebrity that nobody took very seriously till now.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for showing us the side of this that makes total sense based on facts not hyperbole.
It is appreciated. Can’t understand why no one has ever connected the dots as you so eloquently have. Unfortunately the solution to this equation has us where we are right now on the precipice of a total disaster for this country.
A Very interesting article-however, there are at least two paragraphs I noted, that are almost exact duplicates of one another...I imagine you are trying to turn out your stuff quickly and missed that you had already written your thoughts.
1) talking about Ivana’s father and then
2) describing the Jewish electronics store owner. Figured I would let you know in case you wanted to edit.
Thanks for your work!
LOL thanks yes I was trying to get it out Sunday morning for Sunday reading i'll fix. Thanks for spotting it.
Very interesting; thanks. Also, typo under funeral pic and I couldn’t understand this line: “and notes that Ivana Czech with her children when they were in the US”
Yes, they certainly seem to be at a funeral, not a "funder".
Jeez, nitpick much? You were able to figure it out obviously.
It’s less of a nitpick than just letting the author know, in case they wanted to fix it.
And the funeral , written as funders(?)
Thank you for this excellent, detailed, well sourced reportage. This is critical information that needs to be widely shared. Remarkably evocative of the re-watch my husband and I are doing right now of the Alec-Guinness-as-George-Smiley John Le Carré series from the '70s and '80s: "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and "Smiley's People." Carré, a former spy, weighed in on Trump’s connections to Putin in 2017, covered in various media: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/08/donald-trump-russia-putin?srsltid=AfmBOoo4vEMkgh4epKHZ0LdRagHjivjtzFaHFWZUXM4adcTMX7KfI7GO (read to bottom for link to NYT interview).
Thank you for the link (and the note directing me to the NYT article.
I found an interesting quote by Ben Macintyre: “Spying and fiction are not entirely different processes. You try to create an artificial world. And the better and more realistic and more emotionally believable you can make that world, as either a spy or a novelist, the better you are going to be at it.”
Seems to apply to Trump, Johnson, Rubio, Vance, Graham… shall I go on?
This is their alternate reality.
There are, in fact, more references existing that you will no doubt find, or already have. Very glad you are putting it together. One in Politico Magazine and another in the Times of India. I think it is getting legs but not to main media yet. I tried to feed it to Rachel Maddow. I think she is leading up to it. What is missing is hard evidence. The story so far is word of mouth from two KGB related individuals, another from Khazakstan (Soviet Union). Evidence is needed that will hold up in court.
Thank you for this work.
Oh I’m going down a super rabbit hole.
O can’t upgrade but just what I read! Holy Shit!
Thank you, Michael! I appreciate your methodical approach and expert insights to this theory that so many of us have held for years. I look forward to reading more as you continue your analysis.
And while I understand that you don't want to appear to favor a specific conclusion before you're done, I think it's safe for you to declare that Trump is at a minimum acting in his own interests, rather than attributing it to some twisted advocacy for the US, without seeming partial. "His actions in the past week make it absolutely clear that at a minimum, he sees a synchronicity between US interests and Russian interests and wants to reshape US foreign policy around that belief", is far too forgiving.
Fascinating. Look forward to reading more.
I'm sure looking forward to the series! From someone who knows what he's doing!
I do have a suggestion for a deeper look at Trump's past: strangely,to me , I never saw anything from 2015 to now about Trump as an habitué at Studio 54.
In the popular press, Studio was usually depicted as nothing more than a glamorous nightclub frequented by Cafe Society - A List celebrities, entertainers, politicians, businessmen adept at manipulating the tabloid press. It was, in fact, a big time gay disco and a center for distribution of powder cocaine and other party drugs. The balcony was an orgy room, so I've heard, as well as a "back room" in the basement. (That's a completely dark room available for anonymous gay sex, a popular feature of gay bars in the '70's and a major vector for AIDS.) In other words, Studio was popular with the rich and famous for evenings "slumming".
There are lots of photos of Trump at Studio as well as comments that he was considered "boring" company; he really didn't drink or do drugs.* It's also said he never danced! That's believable, to judge from his campaign performances to that great gay anthem, "YMCA".
____
* which should rule out that sort of brain damage as an explanation for his erratic behavior.
I don't know how, but a search of this entire sub stack for KGB/KRASNOV could reveal a lot more.
If one could put it together.