Once again, I jumped the gun.

Earlier today, I commented on the mysterious presence of an American military transport plane at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, said to be carrying CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and I contemplated what possible reason there could be for such a sudden, unexplained visit.

My two immediate thoughts — both optimistic — were a possible breakthrough in negotiations for an end to the war in Ukraine, and/or a long-overdue return of American political prisoners still being held in Russia.

But not long after posting my remarks — as I sat awaiting my turn to be helped at the local Motor Vehicle Department — I received an alert on my phone, which read as follows:

“Putin adviser warns UK factories face attacks from ‘unknown sources’ for helping Ukraine.” [Rich Booth, Independent UK, August 25, 2026.]

And that familiar little bell began ringing in my head as I read that Andrei Fedorov, a former deputy foreign minister for Russia, said that he could not “100% exclude” the possibility of “semi-military” operations directed at Britain . . . a pronouncement made simultaneously with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s trip to Kyiv.

In addition to Burnham, a multi-national delegation meeting this week with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv issued a firm pledge of continuing support for Ukraine in its battle against Russia’s aggression.

And meanwhile, at the United Nations, a joint statement issued by 50 member states was presented by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, calling on Russia to agree to a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, among other stringent terms certain to be met by Putin with something less than pleasure.

Significantly, the United States did not join in the UN statement, for reasons that may be known only to these two:

So what the hell is CIA Director Ratcliffe doing in Moscow? I certainly don’t know; but I’m feeling somewhat less optimistic this evening than I was this morning.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/25/26