On August 1, 2024, sixteen political prisoners were released from Russian prisons in exchange for eight Russian criminals being held for various crimes in several different countries, in what was the biggest and most complex hostage exchange since the end of the Cold War.

See that man in the blue tee shirt (center front) and the obviously scared little boy holding his hand? They are Artyom and Daniel, father and son of the Dultsev family, recently returned to Russia after years of living abroad as “illegals,” first in Argentina and more recently in Slovenia — although Daniel and his sister Sofia were unaware until that very day that they were Russian and not Argentinian, and . . . well, I’ve already told their story (“The Children of Spies,” 8/7/24), and the Dultsevs are not the subject of this one.

To Artyom’s left (our right) in the first picture, in the striped jacket and baseball cap, is the real star of the exchange, Vadim Krasikov — the Russian hitman, until that day serving a life sentence in Germany for the murder of a Chechen emigre on the orders of the man with his back to us in the picture: Vladimir Putin. Krasikov seems to have been the linchpin upon which the success of the whole complicated transaction rested.

Both of those men — Krasikov and Dultsev — have become well-known as a result of this momentous event. But not the others, and we may never know exactly who they are, or why they were so important to Putin that he agreed to accept just eight of his people in exchange for sixteen of ours.

Except for the seemingly shy fellow with the shaved head, second from left, trying to remain invisible behind the man in the khaki shirt. He has just been outed by the Polish government, which has retroactively indicted him on espionage charges, some two weeks after letting him leave the country. His name is Pablo Gonzalez . . . or Pavel Rubtsov . . . depending on where he is.

He was born Pavel Rubtsov in 1982 in Moscow, but moved to Spain with his Spanish mother at age nine. There he became a citizen, receiving the Spanish name of Pablo Gonzalez Yague. He eventually became a journalist, working for outlets Publico, La Sexta and Gara, a Basque nationalist newspaper. [Vanessa Gera, Associated Press, August 14, 2024.]

On February 28, 2022, Rubtsov — let’s call him by his original name — was arrested in Poland, where he had lived since 2019, on charges of espionage. He was accused of being an agent of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation (GRU), who “carried out activities for Russia using his journalistic status. As a result, he was able to move freely around Europe and the world, including zones affected by armed conflicts and areas of political tension.” He had been scheduled to cross the border into Ukraine that day with a group of reporters. [Graham Keeley, VOA News, March 9, 2022.]

Authorities alleged that while in Poland he had “obtained information the use of which by the Russian secret services could have a direct negative impact on the internal and external security and defense of our country” and that he was about to travel to Ukraine to “continue his activities.” [VOA News, id.]

Rubtsov, of course, has consistently denied all of the allegations against him . . . which immediately brings to mind the cases of Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and other legitimate journalists who have been falsely accused and convicted of espionage in Russia. The facts and circumstances of their cases are vastly different, of course. But is it not also understandable that Rubtsov would now claim, under the protection of his journalistic credentials, to have been similarly falsely charged?

On the other hand, if he hasn’t lived in or been connected to Russia since he was nine years old, why would he have been included by Putin in the exchange?

And — as the real point of this whole exercise — why on earth would the Polish authorities file new charges against him after releasing him, now that he is safely out of their grasp in Mother Russia?

And therein lies the most perplexing question of all: Why now?

A prosecutor in the city of Lublin, Poland, filed the indictment on August 9th. In accordance with Polish privacy laws, the indicted individual was identified only as “Pablo G. Y. and Pavel R..” [A.P., id.] But it is said to be clear from other details that the case is against Pavel Rubtsov. In the indictment, Rubtsov is accused of espionage, which in Poland carries a prison term of three to fifteen years.

Specifically, the defendant in that case is accused of “providing information to Russian military intelligence from April 2016 to February 2022 in Przemysl, Warsaw and elsewhere, ‘which could cause damage to the Republic of Poland, including as a NATO member state.’” It was not indicated whether Rubtsov would be tried in absentia. [A.P., id.]

And to add to the mystery, the prosecutor’s office advised that separate investigations are underway into an unspecified number of other people, including a woman named only as Magdalena Ch. — apparently known as Rubtsov’s ex-girlfriend.

Perhaps Rubtsov, or Gonzalez, or whoever he is has only been belatedly charged because of his association with these “other people.” If so, that would totally blow the possibility of his being an innocent journalist clear out of the water.

And so, the plot thickens.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/17/24

Well, you just keep them locked up. That’s all.

Just a few days short of five months ago, on March 22nd, gunmen stormed the Crocus City Hall entertainment venue in the Krasnogorsk suburb of Moscow, Russia, killing more than 140 people and setting fire to the building. They made their escape from the city, but were later apprehended and brought back to Moscow — somewhat the worse for having been brutalized by their captors — where they were identified as being Tajik members of ISIS-K: Islamic State-Khorasan.

Moscow had become a victim of Islamist terrorism.

For the past few months, there has been little or no publicity concerning the suspects. But now we have learned that they were brought to court yesterday — “dressed in prison clothes and shackled hand and foot” — where a judge extended their detention until November 22, 2024. [RFE/RL, August 16, 2024.]

This is not an unusual procedure in criminal cases in Russia. Extension of detainment without establishment of a trial date can be ordered for any number of reasons: frequently to allow the prosecution to build — or sometimes fabricate — a stronger case against the defendants.

In this case, where the prosecution alleges that the attack was planned and financed by ISIS-K — and that there was also purportedly Ukrainian involvement — there most likely are complex political and diplomatic issues to be considered in addition to the simpler question of guilt or innocence of the individuals. So it may well be some time before they ever come to trial.

Assuming they survive that long.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/17/24

What can you say about someone — and you must know by now who I mean — who, first of all, spent his youth evading the draft because he allegedly suffered from “bone spurs” (a new term for cowardice), and then has the cojones to stand up before the world today and say that the civilian Presidential Medal of Freedom is better than the Congressional Medal of Honor, because the recipients of the latter are “either in bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead.”

I am, for one of the few times in my life, speechless.

Just sayin’ (or, for once, not) . . .

Brendochka
8/16/24

Have you noticed how quiet things have been in the Kremlin lately? No major pronouncements from Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov; no edicts from President Vladimir Putin; no word from Defense Minister Andrei Belousov as to the progress of Russia’s little adventure in Ukraine. Not even a threat of nuclear annihilation from that ever-present Voice of Doom, Dmitry Medvedev.

What’s going on, fellas? Could it be because that little “adventure” isn’t going so well right now, and they haven’t quite figured out what to do about it? Because their “special military operation” has come home — literally — to visit for a while on Russian soil? Or maybe they’re all just a wee bit shame-faced at having underestimated the Ukrainians once again and failed to anticipate that possibility?

Or all of the above?

Whatever the reason, you may view the lull as a brief respite, or as the ominous quiet before the next storm. Since we’re talking about Russia, I’m more inclined toward the latter. But we shall see . . .

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/16/24

Today — August 16th — turns out to be noted for a great many things. For example, it is:

National Bratwurst Day. I could certainly sink my teeth into that one. A little sauerkraut, a bit of mustard, some nice fried potatoes on the side, and three or four Tums tablets for dessert, and you’ve got the perfect meal.

National Airborne Day. Who do they think I am — the Flying Nun? It does look like fun, though.

National Roller Coaster Day. Pass. I rode on one — just once — and it wasn’t half the size of today’s monster rides. That was enough. Screamed my bloody head off, made a complete fool of myself . . . but at least I didn’t throw up that Bratwurst.

National Rum Day. That’s better. A nice Planter’s Punch goes down so smoothly on a hot summer day.

Hawaii Statehood Day. Happy birthday, and mahalo for being our 50th state.

*. *. *

Now, those are all great fun. But the one that caught my attention was:

Tell a Joke Day. Because just yesterday, I happened to run across an article on “How AI is helping comedians write jokes.”

I kid you not. They — those diabolical Dr. Frankensteins who are bending our minds with all of the pictures and videos that look so real, but not quite — are now trying to convince us that AI has a sense of humor.

Here’s a sample of what you get if you ask AI to write a political joke:

“Why did the politician bring a ladder to the debate?” “To make sure he could reach new heights with his promises!” [Megan Lawton, BBC News, August 15, 2024.]

Nice try, folks. And it does exhibit a certain understanding of the subject matter. But is it going to reduce an audience to side-splitting guffaws? Sorry, no . . . not even an appreciative chuckle. It can clear a room in 30 seconds flat, though.

However, it will never compete with “A priest, a minister and a rabbi walked into a bar . . .”

Still, according to Canadian comedian Anesti Danelis, “that doesn’t mean there is no room for AI in comedy.” [BBC, id.]

It seems that comedians have been experimenting with AI technology to brainstorm ideas and even to write scripts. And Danelis has even asked ChatGPT to write a show for him. He has been performing the result, which he calls “Artificially Intelligent,” throughout this summer.

He admits that there were some “rubbish” jokes, but found the AI tool useful for brainstorming. He said he asked it to “write me five songs about bisexual dilemmas, or being an immigrant child, and it gave me ideas that I would have never thought of.” [BBC, id.]

What surprised him most was AI’s understanding of how to devise a show:

“I told it to make me a running order, and it explained where every song should go and why, and it made total sense. I was surprised by how much it could explain the reasoning behind it.” [BBC, id.]

Now, those of you who know me at all, also know that I get a bad case of the jitters when anyone starts talking about the latest hi-tech developments. As much as I still love R2D2 and C3PO, and still add a Roomba vacuum to my Christmas wish list every year, I am not ready to accept a world in which I don’t know whether my next-door neighbors are real people or someone’s virtual representations.

And then it dawned on me: even AI, as brilliant as it is, had to be created by real, flesh-and-blood human beings. Without us, they cease to exist . . . if they ever did.

And Anesti Danelis is the first to admit that his comedy show still relies on his performance. Without the funny guy delivering the lines and endearing himself to the audience through the strength of his own personality, the funniest routine will still fall flat. As Danelis says:

“I learned through the process that human creativity can’t be replicated or replaced, and in the end about 20% of the show was pure AI, and the other 80% was a mix.” [BBC, id.]

And therein lies our salvation. Because without our human brain power and imagination, there would be no AI. And those bots still don’t have feelings — we can make them smile, or frown, or even cry, but they don’t know why they’re doing it.

I still have one concern, though: If the day ever comes that those AI beings start recreating humans . . .

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/16/24

Recycling, reusing, repurposing . . . all ideas that are vital to the preservation of our natural environment. I can’t imagine myself ever disagreeing with that.

Or I couldn’t . . . that is, until I took a look at this building.

Now, I’ve seen some strange-looking structures, both in person and in pictures; and I’ve occasionally had to wonder what inspired some of the architects. Many were simply unusual, and a number of them were just plain ugly. But this one . . . well, frankly, it gives me the creeps!

It’s not just the top part, which looks like the upper floors of a Beijing hotel that got ripped off by a Kansas tornado, transported to Germany, and plopped down — ripped bottom and all — on top of what looks for all the world like an 80-year-old Nazi bunker, and . . .

Holy crap! That’s exactly what it is!!

And I knew, the second I looked at the picture, that there was something seriously bad about that structure. Places have auras, you know; and this one screams . . . well, it just screams, that’s all.

Do I think it’s haunted? I don’t know; I suppose I’d have to spend the night there with a lot of electronic gizmos, searching for orbs, or magnetic fields, or whatever ghost hunters look for, before I could answer that question. I’m not talking about ghosts. But it’s a Nazi bunker. You know some terrible things took place there during the Second World War.

So, my first question is: Why would anyone in their right mind want to turn it into a hotel? Did they seriously think anyone would want to stay there? (I know, that’s two questions. Sorry.)

Well, apparently the answer to the second question is “Yes,” which in turn answers the first question. And from all appearances, it’s been reasonably successful.

But my next question is: Did they have to make it so damned ugly? I mean, even uglier than the original structure! Just look at it again, from a different angle:

I do understand that it was just too huge, too solid to demolish. It would have required much too large a quantity of explosives in what is now a busy commercial area. The neighborhood, known as Karoviertel, “sits in a cool enclave filled with stylish coffee shops and vintage stores, plus the Knust nightclub in a repurposed abattoir.” [Maureen O’Hare, CNN, August 14, 2024.]

EXCUSE ME??!!! Did she just say “abattoir”????? That’s a freakin’ former slaughterhouse, and it’s also been repurposed . . . as a nightclub.

At the risk of repeating myself . . . Holy crap!

*. *. *

But back to the bunker. It now houses two restaurants, a rooftop bar and garden (the source of all that greenery), Constant Grind coffee shop and bar, and a five-story Hard Rock Hotel. Rooms range from 180 Euros (around U.S. $197) to 269 Euros (about $295). Amenities include a 55-inch flat-screen TV and Alexa in-room assistant.

Just between you and me, Alexa makes me nervous too — she reminds me too much of Big Brother, and I do not allow her in my house. I really don’t think I want to share a hotel room with her. But that’s just me.

Here are some photos of the interior:

I will say this much for Hamburg’s monstrosity: At 76,000 tons of concrete, with walls 2.5 meters thick, I wouldn’t be concerned about the building being struck by lightning or blown over in a hurricane. But I still get an eerie feeling just looking at the pictures — the same sort of sensation I felt at the entrance to Hitler’s underground bunker in Berlin, and in the barracks at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in the otherwise lovely town of Oranienburg: A feeling that I did not want to be there.

Anita Engels of the Hilldegarden Neighborhood Association, which supported the bunker restoration project, offered this thought:

“The idea of raising the height of the building with greenery was to add something peaceful and positive to this massive block left over from the Nazi dictatorship.” [CNN, id.]

With all due respect to good intentions, I still feel it could have been done better. Short of demolition, could they not have found an alternative, such as — oh, I don’t know — maybe draping it in a sarcophagus similar to the one the Russians used to encase the reactors at Chernobyl . . . only more attractive, of course? Perhaps Banksy could have been hired to pretty it up with some of his incredible murals. I still wouldn’t have stayed there — those pesky ghosts of the past, you know — but at least the neighborhood would have looked better.

I mean, that is one seriously ugly building.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/16/24

Not surprisingly, the court in Yekaterinburg, Russia, found Ksenia Karelina guilty of high treason today, sentencing her to twelve years in a “general regime” penal colony for having made a contribution of $51.80 — while living in the United States in 2022 — to a New York charitable organization benefitting the people of Ukraine.

A dual U.S.-Russia citizen, she was visiting family in Yekaterinburg in January of this year when she was detained for “petty hooliganism” — charged with allegedly swearing in a public place. (What constitutes “swearing” in today’s Russia is not clear.) While in detention, her cell phone was searched and officials found the transaction in her bank records. Under Russia’s onerous new laws, Karelina — still holding her Russian citizenship — was then accused by the FSB (formerly KGB) of “raising money for a Ukrainian organization providing arms to the Ukrainian military.”

At her trial earlier this month, Karelina truthfully admitted to having made the contribution, which the court immediately interpreted as a confession of guilt. The prosecutor had asked for a sentence of fifteen years; the court “magnanimously” gave her twelve.

*. *. *

The offending charitable organization — Razom (which means “together” in Ukrainian) — was formed in 2014 to, in their words, “contribute to the establishment of a secure, prosperous, and democratic Ukraine. We achieve this by creating, inspiring, and collaborating on initiatives that motivate people to think, partner and do.” They do not supply Ukraine with weapons.

But the court said that investigators had found that on February 24, 2022 — the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — Karelina had “transferred funds in the interests of a Ukrainian organisation, which were subsequently used for the purchase of tactical medicine items, equipment, means of defeat and ammunition by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.” [Reuters, August 15, 2024.]

In Russia, it is whatever they say it is.

*. *. *

Two weeks ago today, an historic prisoner swap involving seven countries was concluded, and sixteen political prisoners were released by Moscow in exchange for eight of their spies and hardened criminals. It seems that now the sixteen vacancies in Russia’s GULAG of penal colonies must be filled with new prospects for the next swap. When that will be, is anyone’s guess.

And meanwhile, Ksenia Karelina — along with fellow Americans Marc Fogel, Robert Woodland, Gordon Black, Robert Gilman, David Barnes, Eugene Spector, and Michael Travis Leake — wait for their miracle.

*. *. *

The U.S. State Department has reiterated its warnings to Americans not to travel to Russia, and for those who may already be there, to leave . . . and the sooner the better.

I should think that would be obvious to anyone with a brain.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/15/24

It all started with an article about Oregon’s newly-renovated Portland International Airport terminal building, with its dozens of trees, thousands of other plants, natural light, unique ceiling constructed of locally-sourced wood, and its therapy llamas and alpacas.

The $2.15 billion renovation . . .

Whoa! Wait just a minute! Hold it right there! Did they say “therapy llamas and alpacas”??!!!

That can’t be right. But it is. You see, the new terminal wasn’t designed solely for improved efficiency of operation. It’s also about making this phase of the passengers’ travels more pleasant and less stressful. Thus the emphasis on greenery and such. According to a Port of Portland news release:

“The new terminal also uses biophilic design — bringing in the natural world — to harness its benefits like lowering travelers’ stress, blood pressure, and heart rate and make it feel like a stroll through a Pacific Northwest forest.” [Forrest Brown, CNN, August 14, 2024.]

Come to think of it, I noticed something similar — also on a distinctly Pacific Northwest theme — a number of years ago on arrival at the Vancouver, B.C. airport. And I’ve never forgotten how lovely it was, or how welcome it made me feel; so there must be something to this de-stressing idea.

But back to Portland . . .

Of course, the amenities haven’t been overlooked, either, such as the restaurants and shops placed ahead of the security areas, so that even non-traveling visitors might enjoy them.

And the llamas and alpacas? Oh, yes . . . they’re there, from time to time, as a special treat. And all thanks to Lori Gregory and Shannon Joy of Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas and Alpacas Farm of Ridgefield, Washington.

In 2007, this mother-daughter team found their mission in life in providing animal-assisted therapy to senior communities, special-needs groups, and schools for therapeutic and educational interactions. Within a few years, they found they were receiving inquiries for private parties, and even weddings. [classycamelids.com].

I can see it now, at the wedding reception: “I’d like you to meet my best man, Larry Llama.” Okay, a little strange . . . but somehow endearing.

We all know how amazing therapy dogs are, not just with their individual owners, but with hospitalized children, the elderly, and others in need of comfort. And my own granddaughter was the beneficiary of the love of a therapy horse when she was quite young. So, why not a sweet-faced, fuzzy, half of a Pushme-Pullyu, a la Dr. Dolittle? I, for one, would love it.

And if one day I were walking through an airport, and happened upon one of these beautiful beasts of burden and incredibly soft hair, I know I’d be thinking more about how wonderful my day had just become . . . and less about the possibility of my plane losing a wing.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/15/24

I sat down yesterday afternoon to choose my subject matter(s) for today’s post(s), and I found I had six tentative titles ready. And they were all stale.

Oh, they’re current news, all right. It’s just that they’re ongoing news — subjects I’ve covered, perhaps over and over again — and all I can do now is continue to update them.

Well, yes . . . updates are important. If the subjects are significant, then keeping current is certainly beneficial. But, from fear of boring you (and myself) with the same-old-same-old, I’ve decided to give you a quick synopsis of each of the six items today, as I go off in search of some new news to sink my teeth into.

So here are the six for today, at mach speed:

*. *. *

The Ghost of Yevgeny Prigozhin. He’s still dead, but his Wagner Group of mercenaries is very much alive, and mostly doing their dirty work in Africa, under the complete control of Vladimir Putin’s government. Surprise, surprise!

Stuck In Space. More problems for Boeing and the Starliner astronauts on the International Space Station. Scary.

The Reemergence of the Hostages. They’re recuperating, making plans for continuing their opposition to Putin’s regime in the future, even from exile. Good news!

“Putin’s Brain.” A lunatic named Aleksandr Dugin apparently has Vladimir Putin’s attention. I may have to follow up on this one; he’s not your run-of-the-mill nut job. Very scary.

Hungary Is At It Again. Viktor Orban, playing footsie with immigrants from Russia and Belarus. The EU isn’t happy. No surprise there.

Dear Mr. Peskov. I’m sure my readers are sick of hearing about the Kremlin spokesman, and wondering why I find him so interesting. I’d like the answer to that myself.

*. *. *

So there you have it. You see? I can be brief. Not very informative, but certainly brief.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/15/24

Did you know that, on this date in . . .

1751: A daughter poisons her father. A tale worthy of a Midsomer Murders episode, this real-life British drama involves a 26-year-old spinster, a wealthy father, an adulterous fortune-hunter, an illicit affair, betrayal, arsenic . . . everything but incest. And nearly 300 years ago. What fun!

1917: China declares war on Germany. World War I. China was on our side back then. Ah, the good old days.

1935: FDR signs Social Security Act. And a good thing, too. But you still can’t live on it.

1945: Japan’s surrender made public. World War II finally ends. Amen.

1985: Michael Jackson purchases the publishing rights to the majority of the Beatles’ catalog. If you happen to have $47 Million hanging around . . .

1994: The terrorist known as Carlos the Jackal is arrested. That’s a relief. (Aside: I knew someone years ago who claimed to have attended university with him. If true, that means I was just one degree of separation from one of the most notorious . . . Holy crap!)

2003: Blackout hits northeast United States. It’s a mess in New York, Ohio, parts of Canada, and more. And in May of 2004, the birth rate in those same areas suddenly surges. Hmmm . . . coincidence?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/14/24