Yep.... Putin was pretty much a mediocre performer as a KGB agent. Vladimir Putin 'Was Not A Top Agent' Before Becoming President Of Russia, Ex-KGB Spy Reveals https://radaronline.com/p/vladimir-putin-not-top-agent-before-president-ex-kgb-spy-reveals/ An ex-KGB agent recently revealed that Vladimir Putin was a mediocre KGB agent before he chose to enter politics in 1991, Radar has learned. Jack Barsky, a former KGB spy and close colleague to Putin, claimed that the 69-year-old Russian president “was not a top agent” when they were both young fledgling recruits joining the former Soviet Union’s top security agency nearly 50 years ago. “He had a different type of training than I did; mine was one on one and he went to school, so to speak,” Barsky claimed while appearing on a podcast Saturday to discuss his book, Deep Undercover: My Secret Life and Tangled Allegiances as a KGB Spy in America. “Fundamentally, he was not a top agent,” Barsky continued. “There’s only one thing you need to know; he knows German pretty well, but where was he deployed? In East Germany, not in West Germany, not in Austria, not in Switzerland, that’s where they sent the best, right?” According to Barsky, one of Putin’s own former bosses – ex-KGB general Oleg Kalugin – once said that Putin was far from an “impressive” agent. But although Barsky was confident Putin “was not a top [KGB] agent,” he did admit the now-Russian strongman was always a “hugely effective” and competent political leader. “He was known as a really, really good organizer,” Barsky admitted during Saturday’s podcast. “When Boris Yeltsin hired him as Prime Minister, he cleaned up the mess, because under Yeltsin Russia deteriorated tremendously and became sort of a mix of Oligarchy and a criminal enterprise and chaotic.” The ex-KGB agent and former college to Putin also suggested the Russian leader’s recent actions – and his decision to invade Ukraine despite the fallout and condemnation from the rest of the world – stems from Putin’s experience as a KGB agent watching the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. “He was at one point a member of the greatest and most powerful intelligence organizations in the world and all of a sudden he was powerless, and he had to watch how this was a defeat, a big one,” Barsky said. “He probably promised himself, ‘never again,’” Barsky added, “’Russia needs to be great again.’”
He can't even harm a mosquito... Vladimir Putin appears unable to use limp right arm to shoo away mosquito in footage Russian President Vladimir Putin could be seen in the footage limping and appearing to be unable to use his right arm when he was attacked by mosquitos during Navy Day celebrations in St Petersburg https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/vladimir-putin-appears-unable-use-27621884
'Absurd' Putin humiliated after Russian court makes mockery of 'de-nazification' claims VLADIMIR PUTIN faced further humiliation after a Russian court inadvertently made a mockery of his claims that Moscow's army was "denazifying" Ukraine. https://www.express.co.uk/news/worl...msk-regional-court-denazification-ukraine-war The Russian president claimed that he was forced to send his troops into Ukraine to rid the country of its fascist rulers. He justified his "special military operation" on the basis that Russia was on a mission to "de-nazify" its western neighbour for its own good and that of Russia's. However, a recent ruling by a local court has turned that idea on its head, much to the embarrassment of the Russian despot and his Kremlin stooges. The Omsk regional court ruled in a recent case that the phrase "No to Nazism" discredited the armed forces of the Russian Federation. As such, anyone bearing placards with the slogan could be prosecuted for a federal crime. Critics were quick to point out the ruling was "absurd" given that the whole point of the Russian army's involvement in Ukraine was to rid the country of Nazis. The ruling was issued against Richard Roman King who was arrested by police on April 11 for holding a placard with the "criminal" slogan. Mr King's actions were timed to coincide with the International Day for the Liberation of Prisoners of Nazi Concentration Camps. The activist was detained ten days later by the police and was fined 30,000 roubles (£403) for his efforts. Commenting on the ruling, a prominent anti-Putin activist Daniil Chebykin said: "The absurdity of this whole story is that the Russian army, according to Putin and propaganda, 'is fighting Nazism in Ukraine.' "But the Russian court fined Richard Roman King for the slogan 'No to Nazism.' "And now the following conclusion suggests itself. "If the 'No to Nazism' poster discredits the Russian army, it turns out that the Russian army is for Nazism." During the police interrogation, an FSB officer informed Mr King he had compiled a detailed folder on him and that he was determined to send him to jail. Mr King is reported to have fled Russia in a bid to avoid being incarcerated. The Russian parliament introduced a new censorship law back in March, as it sought to prevent public criticism of its invasion of Ukraine. Under its statutes, citizens can be fined large amounts or face up to five years in prison for "discrediting" Russian Armed Forces. The Kremlin has stepped up efforts to recruit Russians into its army as it desperately seeks to bolster its front line forces. Reports have emerged of volunteer battalions being formed in the country's regions. Mr Chebykin described to Express.co.uk how covert mobilisation had already been going on for some time. He said 30 to 40-year-old reservists were being lured with lucrative contracts promising payments of around 260,000 roubles (£3,493) - a huge amount of money in terms of average Russian wages. The activist also claimed recruitment offices were using emotional blackmail to entice people to sign up. He related how his lodger had been persuaded to rejoin the ranks after recruitment officers told him he could avenge the deaths of his brothers, who had been killed in fighting in Ukraine. Mr Chebykin explained: "Yesterday he told me he had signed a contract and was leaving to fight in Ukraine. "He has brothers who were killed there and he said he was going to revenge their deaths. "I tried to talk him out of it but I didn't succeed. He had served in the army and been released from service long ago, but the recruitment office tempted him by saying he could revenge the deaths of his brothers. "It is so cynical - the methods used by the state."
Comrades, remember to order your Z underwear today... and get your wife the XXX Large size. Vladimir Putin's supporters snap up patriotic 'Z' underwear to back his war in Ukraine Pairs of pants emblazoned with the letter "Z", which has become a symbol of support for Russian forces in Ukraine, have been spotted for sale in the city of Tver, Russia https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/vladimir-putins-supporters-snap-up-27742201
The rot runs deep in the Russian war machine. Ukraine is exposing it for all to see https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/13/europe/ukraine-advance-russia-war-analysis-intl-hnk-ml/index.html