Russian diplomats (spies) go missing and then turn up in odd places in middle of nowhere USA

[Nevermypresident]

"Kremlin is waging a quiet effort to map the United States’ telecommunications infrastructure, perhaps preparing for an opportunity to disrupt it" per intelligence officials.

"In the throes of the 2016 campaign, the FBI found itself with an escalating problem: Russian diplomats, whose travel was supposed to be tracked by the State Department, were going missing.
The diplomats, widely assumed to be intelligence operatives, would eventually turn up in odd places, often in middle-of-nowhere USA. One was found on a beach, nowhere near where he was supposed to be. In one particularly bizarre case, relayed by a U.S. intelligence official, another turned up wandering around in the middle of the desert. Interestingly, both seemed to be lingering where underground fiber-optic cables tend to run."

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/01/russia-spies-espionage-trump-239003

More interesting tidbits in story.....


We were vulnerable before, but now we have Comrade trump (Donnie small hands) welcoming them with opening arms. We have absolutely got to up our cyber and disinformation counter attacks and defenses, after getting rid of all of Putin's American assets/agents in our govnt.

[onethatcares]

1. the hell you say.

the Russians are our friends and these guys were just seeing America first.';.

Hell, they've already been in the Oval office.

[furtheradu]

2. Please read the article - important

Thanks for this. When odd black outs & such have happened, the past year, I have wondered if it was coordinated & part of a bigger plan..
Dallas alarms blaring through the night, air line computer issues, etc.

[tanyev]

3. Holy crap.

K & R

[Chiyo-chichi]

4. Every DUer needs to read this article.

...and then consider that Trump is giving back the spy compounds.

[roamer65]

5. Close their consulates and embassy.

Deport them all back to Pootie.

[Chiyo-chichi]

6. Question...

The article describes Russian agents far away from where they are based, wandering in the middle of nowhere... coincidentally, where fiber-optic cables are laid.

What exactly could they be doing?

Why do they have to be "on site?"

They're surely not mapping the fiber-optic network? They seem to know where to go. And given Russia's expertise in hacking, surely they could get electronic files that thoroughly map the network.

And if they're planning to physically sabotage these networks... I still don't fully see what purpose driving around in the middle of Kansas would serve. Recon?

But again... everyone needs to read this article.

Russian agents are free to do this stuff... travel freely across the country, far from where they are based. There is NOW, I guess, a rule that they are supposed to notify the State Dept. if they intend to travel more than 50 miles from where they are based. But they don't follow the rules.... and do we think the Trump administration is going to enforce that rule? Apparently, the Obama administration was reluctant to agree to this rule & fought against it. Meanwhile, American agents in Russia are tailed the moment they leave the compound & the FSB beat the crap out of one American agent who lost his tail.

And we are giving them back the compounds we took away.