Having a wonderful time reminiscing about all my past travel (and other) adventures. Hope you’ll share them with me in my blog, “All Roads Led to Russia.”
The other day, a friend told me her age (she’s just a few years younger than I), and then asked mine. I did tell her; but I was surprised at my reluctance to say the number out loud. And that led me to thinking about women and age.
Today’s quote comes from a Chinese philosopher . . . though surprisingly not attributed to Confucius, as is so much of that culture’s wisdom. In fact, I don’t even know whether it’s an old or a newer saying.
Confucius (c. 551 B.C. – c. 479 B.C.)
But it is about women, and about age: two perfectly normal subjects that, when combined, tend to react like a mixture of chlorine and ammonia. And it appears that the Chinese have always understood this very well, because these words — whether ancient or recent — explain perfectly how we women feel about the subject:
“The woman who tells her age is either too young to have anything to lose or too old to have anything to gain.”
– As quoted by Advaita Suresh, US News, May 17, 2026
So now you can understand why you should never ask the age of a woman who is, or appears to be, anywhere between 18 and 80, because if you do, you are likely to have your lights knocked out.
And now, perhaps you could help me figure out how to deal with my new-found realization that, according to the Chinese proverb, I have nothing left to gain.
If you’ve been contemplating where Vladimir Putin’s wandering eye might focus next, you may have been thinking about one of the Baltic states: Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia. And you could be right. But don’t overlook an area that a lot of people aren’t familiar with: the Transnistria region of Moldova.
Transnistria (in pink)
Moldova — the former Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldavia — formally applied for membership in the EU in March of 2022, and was granted candidate status in June of the same year . . . clearly signaling its intention to remain outside the sphere of Vladimir Putin’s influence. And, while not a member of NATO, it does cooperate with the bloc through its Partnership for Peace program.
Despite the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has continued to claim hegemony over other former Soviet regions — most notably, the Crimean Peninsula and other regions of Ukraine, but also the de facto independent Transnistria region of Moldova.
Like much of that part of the world, the history of Transnistria is complex. Pro-Russian separatists declared the region’s independence from Moldova (then still part of the USSR) on September 2, 1990. Russia then — and this will sound very familiar — sent in troops to occupy the area as a “peacekeeping” force; and, even after the breakup of the Soviet Union, and despite pledges to withdraw over the years, has not left. In March of 2022, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe formally designated Transnistria as Moldovan territory occupied by the Russian Federation; and there the matter stands.
Looking at the map, it is easy to see why Russia wants so badly to hang onto Transnistria: its eastern side forms the border with the western side of Putin’s primary objective . . . Ukraine.
On its west, Moldova also shares a long border with NATO/EU member Romania, further rendering it of great strategic importance as a buffer (from Putin’s standpoint) or a connector (for Ukraine) between Ukraine and Romania.
As we all know, Putin is adept at creating excuses to send his armies into non-Russian territories. He did it in 2008 in the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia. In 2014, he repeated his success in Crimea. And he did it yet again in February of 2022, when he claimed that Russian-speaking separatists in the Donbas region of Ukraine were being persecuted by the so-called Nazi regime in Kyiv and needed protection. Since then, he has expanded his control to other areas of Ukraine, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia — all in the guise of “liberation.”
Once entrenched, he “granted” Russian citizenship status to the residents of those areas. And now, he has signed a decree doing the same for the citizens of Transnistria who are at least 18 years of age and were living there permanently on the day the decree took effect (May 15, 2026), even offering expedited citizenship by waiving three of the requirements of Russia’s citizenship law: five years of residency, Russian language proficiency, and passing exams on Russian history and legal foundations. [Katherina Popilnichenko, United24Media, May 15, 2026.]
On May 13th, the Russian State Duma unanimously approved legislation expanding Putin’s authority to deploy Russian armed forces abroad, amending existing regulations on citizenship and defense, and allowing the Kremlin to use military force to “protect” Russian citizens against alleged persecution by foreign states and by international courts not recognized by Moscow. [Id.]
Over the years, this has become a tried-and-true tactic of Putin’s, intended to destabilize areas formerly belonging to the Soviet Union that have now become members of NATO and/or the EU, or that simply border on NATO and/or EU member nations. It is one more weapon in his hybrid attacks throughout Europe, which have included sabotage, assassination plots, attacks against infrastructure and security . . . and all as part of his master plan to recreate, in some form, the Russian Empire.
On June 24, 1826, as the 50th anniversary of the signing and approval of the Declaration of Independence approached, an aging Thomas Jefferson wrote what would be his last letter. It was addressed to Roger C. Weightman: an American politician, civic leader, printer, and the eighth Mayor of Washington, D.C.
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826)
Jefferson would die on that Independence Day, just ten days after writing his final letter. But his words live on as a history lesson and a caution to succeeding generations . . . if only we have the wisdom to heed them:
“May it [American independence] be to the world, what I believe it will be (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all), the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately . . . These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.”
– Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Roger C. Weightman, 24 June 1826.
As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of that momentous event with fireworks, patriotic music, and enormous amounts of picnic food, let’s also take a few minutes to recall what it is we’re actually commemorating . . . and what we are now fighting to keep alive for our children and their succeeding generations.
Each week, I mention the sad fact that my list of Putin’s political hostages consists of only a small fraction of those actually held in prisons and penal colonies throughout Russia, Belarus, and other Russia-friendly locations.
And every now and then, I happen across the names of others previously unknown to me. Such was the case this week, when I read about the recent death of Russian human rights activist and dissident Nina Litvinova at the age of 80.
Nina Litvinova (1945 – 2026)
Nina, a prominent ocean researcher, was not a prisoner; her body was found on a street in central Moscow. And she had left behind a suicide note. [The Moscow Times, May 15, 2026.]
According to the Russian human rights organization Memorial, Nina had been advocating for political prisoners since the 1960s, including for her own brother, Pavel Litvinov, who had taken part in a demonstration against the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. She attended high-profile trials, including those of historian Yury Dmitriyev, Memorial co-founder Oleg Orlov, and numerous lesser-known prisoners. She had also appeared briefly in a 2022 documentary by RFE/RL’s Russian Service when she visited imprisoned activist Olga Bendas. [RFE/RL’s Russian Service, May 15, 2026.]
Nina Litvinova’s death was first reported on May 13, 2026. The next day, her cousin, journalist Maria Slonim, published a story on social media that included what she said was an excerpt from Nina’s suicide note. As Slonim wrote:
“Nobody — neither RIA nor Gazeta.Ru, which first reported it — will, of course, publish the note, because it lays out the reasons for her death far too plainly. So we decided to show the real reasons: Putin killed her!” [Id.]
Nina’s farewell note is a testament to the extremes to which Putin’s repressive regime has gone and the effect it has had on the entire country; and as such, it bears repeating here:
“I love all of you and think about you. But I must leave; living has become unbearable for me. Ever since Putin attacked Ukraine and has been killing innocent people, while here at home thousands are endlessly thrown into prison, suffering and dying there simply because, like me, they oppose the war and oppose killing. I can do nothing to help them. Yevgenia Berkovich, Svetlana Petriichuk, Karina Tsurkan, and thousands of others behind bars are suffering and dying. I tried to help them, but my strength is gone, and day and night I suffer from helplessness. I am ashamed, but I gave up. Please forgive me.” [Id.]
From RFE/RL 2022 Documentary
*. *. *
It is from Nina Litvinova’s story that I have gathered the names of Yury Dmitriyev, Oleg Orlov, Olga Bendas, Yevgenia Berkovich, Svetlana Petriichuk, and Karina Tsurkan, for inclusion in my list of political prisoners. In the coming week, I will research their histories to relate to you in next Sunday’s chapter.
In the meantime, they are included in my weekly tribute to those who remain in limbo, awaiting our help. Once again, here is the list of those known, which is still only a fraction of the total:
Prisoners of War:
The 20,000+ Kidnapped Ukrainian Children The People of Ukraine
Immigrant Detainees in Russia:
Migrants from the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
Endangered Exiles:
Pavel “Pasha” Talankin Mikita Losik Yulia Navalnaya Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents
Political Prisoners:
In Afghanistan:
Mahmoud Habibi (Afghan-American) Paul Overby (American, missing since 2018)
Andrei Chapiuk Uladzimir Labkovich Andrzej Poczobut Marfa Rabkova Valiantsin Stafanovic Yuras Zyankovich
In Georgia:
Mzia Amaglobeli
In Russia:
The “Crimea 8”: — Oleg Antipov — Artyom Azatyan — Georgy Azatyan — Aleksandr Bylin — Roman Solomko — Artur Terchanyan — Dmitry Tyazhelykh — Vladimir Zloba
James Scott Rhys Anderson (British) Aleksandr Andreyev David Barnes (American) Olga Bendas Yevgenia Berkovich Gordon Black (American) Hayden Davies (British) Yury Dmitriyev Anastasia Dyudyaeva Antonina Favorskaya Konstantin Gabov Robert Gilman (American) Stephen James Hubbard (American) Sergey Karelin Timur Kishukov Vadim Kobzev Darya Kozyreva Artyom Kriger Michael Travis Leake (American) Aleksei Liptser Grigory Melkonyants Nika Novak Oleg Orlov Svetlana Petriichuk Leonid Pshenychnov (in Russian-occupied Crimea) Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler) Lev Schlossberg Sofiane Sehili (French) Igor Sergunin Dmitry Shatresov Robert Shonov Grigory Skvortsov Eugene Spector (American) Joseph Tater (American, disappeared) Karina Tsurkan Laurent Vinatier Robert Romanov Woodland (American)
Sun Tzu, it turns out, was more than just a great warrior; he would also have been an outstanding Human Relations Director, if there had been such a thing 2,500 years ago.
Sun Tzu (544 B.C. – 496 B.C.)
He was, of course, speaking of the oversight of military forces; but his philosophy is applicable to all walks of life, from the treatment of one’s own family, to the running of a business, to the operation of an entire government:
“When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders.”
Anyone who has ever held a job, or been part of a family or other cohesive group, understands the wisdom of those words.
How long have I been writing about the strategic importance of a narrow, 40-mile-long strip of land that forms the border between Lithuania and Poland, known as the Suwalki Gap?
A year ago, on May 24, 2025, in an article titled “It Isn’t Just About Ukraine,” I pointed out the increased security measures being instituted by the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia — as well as neighboring NATO ally Poland — and the importance to Russia of being able to access that single, small land passage between Russia’s ally Belarus and the Russian military enclave of Kaliningrad.
The Suwalki Gap
I followed up on September 15, 2025, with a bit of a geography lesson, and on January 29, 2026, with reports from those regions on new security developments amid growing concern over the increasing number of drone incursions and other hybrid attacks in NATO countries, as well as the threat of future full-scale invasions by Russia.
A number of U.S. Senators and Representatives have expressed grave concerns over the Trump administration’s waning support of Ukraine in the wake of Donald Trump’s new war in Iran; of his worsening relations with European allies due in part to his accusations that they are not carrying their fair share of the load; his tiptoeing around Vladimir Putin; and, most recently, his withdrawal of troops from Germany and the Pentagon’s sudden cancellation of a promised troop deployment to Poland.
And now, at long last, the State Department appears to be waking up to the reality of the situation.
Christopher Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, told a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on May 14th that, while Russia currently has committed “about 90 percent of its combat power” to Ukraine, Moscow is likely eventually to “rebalance its forces and look for opportunities to project power and also create dilemmas for NATO. This is particularly acute in the Baltic region.” [Alex Raufoglu, RFE/RL, May 15, 2026.]
Which is a diplomatic way of saying that Vladimir Putin is as determined as ever to expand Russia’s borders westward.
Christopher Smith
While that was hardly news to anyone, there is now concern being expressed that an end to the conflict in Ukraine might actually accelerate that movement on Russia’s part. The chairman of the subcommittee, Republican Representative Keith Self of Texas, said at the hearing that Russia is already rebuilding its military, even as it continues to pursue its “special military operation” in Ukraine:
“When this war is over, there is a real risk that Russia may position its battle-hardened troops on the borders of the Baltic republics. History suggests the cessation of the conflict in Ukraine will not reduce the Russian threat. It may instead simply redirect it.” [Id.]
Representative Keith Self
Smith then referenced the recent Russian cyberattacks, sabotage operations, and hybrid tactics being directed at the Baltic region, adding:
“We should expect Russia to rebalance its forces . . . [as they are already using] . . . hybrid operations against the Baltic states.” [Id.]
It’s good to know that someone in the U.S. is finally paying attention to a serious threat that should long since have been apparent to everyone, and has been shouted about by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for years. But now, what are these newly-conscious American officials going to do about it? What will it take to get through to the people — Trump, Rubio, Hegseth, and the others — who have been ignoring the obvious and making these disastrous decisions?
Sad to say, he’s gone to that great negotiating table in the sky. And let’s face it: Marco Rubio is no Henry Kissinger.
As for Donald Trump . . . well, except for a similar (and greater) propensity for dishonesty, he’s no Richard Nixon, either. Not when it comes to foreign affairs, at any rate.
Nixon, for all of his faults, understood foreign policy. He listened to his advisers, who were learned, experienced people. And I’d be willing to bet he could pronounce Thucydides.
Trump probably thinks that name belongs to a Greek martial arts master. And, in a sense, he’d be close — just off by a couple of millennia.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian and army general, best known for his “History of the Peloponnesian War.” Sometimes called the father of the school of political realism, he viewed the political behavior of individuals and the resulting outcomes of relations between states as based upon, and ultimately mediated by, fear and self-interest.
Clearly, a man before his time.
Thucydides (c. 460 – c. 400 B.C.)
Around 2011, American political scientist, Harvard Professor of Government, and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense Graham Allison popularized the term “Thucydides Trap” in describing the tendency toward war when an emerging power (such as China) threatens to displace an existing great power (such as the United States) as a regional or international leader. His basis was the writing of Thucydides himself, stating that:
“ . . . it was the rise of Athens and the fear that this instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable.”
– Thucydides, “History of the Peloponnesian War”
Allison then expanded on this theory in 2017 when he wrote:
“China and the US are currently on a collision course for war.”
– Graham Allison, “Destined for War”
Graham Allison
And yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping invoked the “Thucydides Trap” during his opening remarks when meeting with Donald Trump in Beijing. Xi questioned whether China and the U.S. could overcome the “Thucydides Trap,” and added that “The East is rising and the West is declining.” [Elliott Davis, The Hill, May 14, 2026.]
Later — presumably after someone on his staff filled him in on who this Thucydides person was — Trump posted on X:
“When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, and on that score, he was 100% correct. Our Country suffered immeasurably with open borders, high taxes, transgender for everybody, men in women’s sports, DEI, horrible trade deals, rampant crime, and so much more!” [Id.]
As if anxious to display the full level of his ignorance and arrogance, he went on to add that Xi “was not referring to the incredible rise that the United States has displayed to the world during the 16 spectacular months of the Trump Administration . . .” making reference to his attacks on Venezuela and Iran. And he continued:
“In fact, President Xi congratulated me on so many tremendous successes in such a short period of time. Two years ago, we were, in fact, a Nation in decline. On that, I fully agree with President Xi! But now, the United States is the hottest Nation anywhere in the world, and hopefully our relationship with China will be stronger and better than ever before!” [Id.]
Years from now, when our children and grandchildren study this period of U.S. history, they won’t believe what they are reading and being told, because it truly does defy belief.
I used to say that there were only two things that I really feared: nuclear war and tornadoes.
I’m still afraid of both of those, of course; I think most reasonable people are, to some extent. But as the years have slipped by, my list has gotten longer. I’m not like the TV character “Monk,” who lived in mortal terror of everything from heights (not unusual) to milk (rather strange). I’m not claustrophobic, agoraphobic, coulrophobic, or germaphobic. The things that most worry me are associated with our changing world, and my place in it as I age.
Oh, sure . . . I’m nervous about falling if there’s no one around to help me up and my cell phone has gone flying across the room where I can’t reach it.
I don’t really fear death; but I do worry about contracting a long, lingering illness.
I fear being totally dependent on others.
I fear losing what’s left of my mind.
All of those are probably quite normal concerns for someone of my age. But most of all, I fear what’s happening to our world, to my country in particular . . . and what will happen to the next generations if something isn’t done to stop this descent into madness.
America’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, seems to have suffered the same concerns when he said:
“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.”
Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826)
I wonder . . . are we living that divine justice now?
Jimmy Buffett sang about “Havana Daydreamin’”; and Pete Seeger rhapsodized about “Guantanamera” — his Cuban woman.
I’m old enough to remember when Cuba was a popular vacation destination for Americans in search of the world’s best rum and cigars, and a rip-roaring good time. Then came the revolution.
Che Guevara and Fidel Castro: A Pair of Revolutionaries
And after that, there was the alliance with this guy:
Soviet Premier (1958-1964) Nikita Khrushchev
It was, of course, all downhill from there. And today, Cuba is in dire straits, in no small part exacerbated by Donald Trump’s sanctions, his oil blockade, and his designation of the island nation as a “State Sponsor of Terrorism” — all designed to ease the way to realizing his ultimate goal: the addition of Cuba to his growing list of Mergers and Acquisitions.
And this week — as Trump was winging his way to China with a few members of his administration, a couple of family hangers-on, and a slew of billionaires looking for their next fortunes — CIA Director John Ratcliffe and his delegation headed to Havana to meet with Cuban government officials. A statement from the Cuban government read as follows:
“Following the request submitted by the US government that a delegation presided over by the CIA Director John Ratcliffe be received in Havana, the Revolutionary Directorate approved the realization of this visit and the meeting with its counterpart from the Ministry of the Interior.” [Patrick Oppmann, Hira Humayun and Michael Rios, CNN, May 14, 2026.]
CIA Director John Ratcliffe in Havana, Cuba – May 14, 2026
A couple of days earlier, Trump had hinted that his administration was preparing to talk with Cuba, which he called a “failed country” seeking help in solving its economic crisis. He posted on Truth Social:
“Cuba is asking for help, and we are going to talk!!! In the meantime, I’m off to China!” [Id.]
The State Department has said that the U.S. would offer Cuba $100 million in aid . . . to carry out “meaningful reforms to Cuba’s communist system.” [Id.]
(Is it my imagination, or does that sound eerily like Trump’s demands for regime change in Venezuela and Iran?)
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel responded on X that, while Cuba would be open to receiving aid from the United States, “lifting or easing the blockade” would be preferable. [Id.]
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel
What Trump is ultimately up to is obvious: control of yet another country . . . and this time, one situated just 93 miles from the coast of Florida. But why send in the CIA? Why not the State Department, or that shrewd negotiating team of Witkoff and Kushner?
Or almost anyone else?
Those of my generation remember all too well what happened when the CIA stuck its nose into Cuba 65 years ago. Maybe they’ve learned from their earlier mistakes . . . but this still makes me nervous.
In a stunning military innovation, Ukraine has begun using robots to approach Russian troops in battle zones, in order to keep Ukraine’s soldiers safe from possible up-close attacks. In and of itself, a great idea . . . but also one that has proven to have had a surprising effect on Russia’s mighty army.
It seems that a number of the Russian invaders have been caught on video surrendering to the mighty metal midgets.
A DevDroid Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)
In a masterpiece of understatement, Oleg Fedoryshyn — director of research and development at DevDroid, a company that makes combat robots and other armaments — had this reaction:
“Of course, I was a little bit surprised.” [Sinead Baker, Business Insider, May 11, 2026.]
I should think so. The original purpose of the unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) was to protect Ukrainian soldiers from possible grenade or other attacks by approaching Russian soldiers claiming to be surrendering. Instead, some Russians have opted to surrender to the bots themselves. In one case, there is footage of three Russian soldiers being captured by a Ukrainian TW-7.62 system, in which the men walk toward it with their arms raised and then lie down on the ground. [Id.]
As Fedoryshyn said, this is “what modern warfare looks like.” [Id.]
Just as I was wondering how the UGVs then physically interact with their prisoners, the article said that, while full details are not shared by Ukraine’s military, Fedoryshyn assumes there were likely to have been living, breathing Ukrainian soldiers nearby, as well as possible additional support from aerial drones.
Taking Prisoners After Robots Do the Hard Work
I should hope so. I can’t imagine walking up to a fully-armed likeness of Artoo Detoo and saying, “Take me to your leader” . . . then meekly following it back to enemy headquarters. I don’t know how you would ever live that down.
The Blog About Everything … and Sometimes Nothing 