Tag Archives: russia

Ex-FBI Agent: Elon Musk’s Drug Habit Made Him an Easy Target for Russian Spies

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Elon Musk's well-documented drug use made him an easy target for Russian secret service agents, a former FBI agent says.

Elon Musk's well-documented drug use made him an easy target for Russian secret service agents, former FBI agent Johnathan Buma told German television broadcaster ZDF during a recently aired documentary.

Buma said there was evidence that both he and fellow billionaire Peter Thiel were targeted by Russian operatives.

"Musk's susceptibility to promiscuous women and drug use, in particular ketamine, and his gravitation towards club life... would have been seen by Russian intelligence service as an entry point for an operative to be sent in after studying their psychological profile and find a way to bump into them, and quickly brought in to their inner circle," Buma told ZDF.

"I'm not allowed to discuss the details of exactly how we obtained this information," he added. "But there's a vast amount of evidence to support this fact."

Buma also corroborated the Wall Street Journal's reporting last year, which found that Musk was in frequent contact with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The news comes after Musk made a notable shift in 2022 after supplying Ukraine with thousands of SpaceX Starlink terminals. However, not long after, the mercurial CEO became wary of the additional costs his space firm was shouldering, arguing it was "unreasonable" for the company to keep supporting the growing data usage.

He reportedly met with Putin several times thereafter, something Musk has since denied.

Biographer Walter Isaacson's 2023 Musk biography also revealed that he had intentionally hamstrung a Ukrainian attack on Russia's naval fleet near the Crimean coast.

Meanwhile, Musk's ample medicinal and recreational use of ketamine has drawn plenty of attention. Earlier this year, The Atlantic reported that the drug could easily allow anybody to feel like they're in charge of the whole world.

Psychopharmacology researcher Celia Morgan told the magazine at the time that those who frequently use ketamine can have "profound" short- and long-term memory issues and were "distinctly dissociated in their day-to-day existence."

In other words, it could provide Russian agents with a perfect opportunity to get closer to Musk, as Buma suggests.

It's a particularly sensitive subject. Buma was arrested shortly after his interview with ZDF in March. His passport was confiscated and was temporarily released on bail.

To Buma, it's the "greatest failing" of the United States' counterespionage efforts.

Despite his popularity dropping off a cliff due to his embrace of far-right extremist ideals and his work for the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, Musk maintains plenty of influence in Washington, DC.

Earlier this month, he traveled to the Middle East alongside president Donald Trump, meeting Qatari officials and dozens of CEOs.

The former FBI agent's comments leave plenty of questions unanswered. Does Putin's spy agency have dirt on the mercurial CEO? Could they be blackmailing him?

Put simply, could Musk really be compromised?

Considering the stakes, it's unlikely we'll ever get any clear-cut answers. But given his penchant for partying and using mind-altering drugs, he's certainly not the most difficult target to get close to for foreign operatives.

More on Musk: Elon Musk’s AI Just Went There

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Ex-FBI Agent: Elon Musk's Drug Habit Made Him an Easy Target for Russian Spies

Russian Nuclear Military Satellite Spinning Out of Control

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A Russian satellite, which US officials have linked to the country's nuclear anti-satellite weapons program, is spinning out of control.

Tumbler Dot Ru

A top-secret Russian satellite, which US officials have linked to the country's nuclear anti-satellite weapons program, is spinning out of control.

As Reuters reports, the spacecraft — called Cosmos 2553 — appears to no longer be in service, indicating a major setback for the country's efforts to develop space weapons.

The satellite has been orbiting around 1,242 miles above the planet, inside a radiation-heavy band that other spacecraft tend to avoid. Satellite tracker LeoLabs told the outlet that Doppler radar measurements indicated Cosmos 2553 was moving erratically and possibly tumbling.

"This observation strongly suggests the satellite is no longer operational," the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies wrote in an assessment last week.

Nuke Bag

Last year, Russia denied US officials' claims that Cosmos 2553 was part of a greater effort to develop a nuclear weapon capable of destroying entire satellite constellations.

Cosmos 2553's exact purpose remains murky at best. A spokesperson for the US Space Command told Reuters that Russia's stated goal of testing instruments in a high-radiation environment was inconsistent "with its characteristics."

"This inconsistency, paired with a demonstrated willingness to target US and Allied on-orbit objects, increases the risk of misperception and escalation," the spokesperson added.

While we still don't know what exactly Russia's mysterious satellite is doing over a thousand miles above the Earth's surface, its erratic movements could indicate yet another black eye for Russia's troubled space program, as well as a strange inflection point in efforts to militarize space.

Our planet's orbit is becoming an increasingly congested domain for supremacy, with several superpowers, including Russia and China, working on anti-satellite weapons that could give them the ability to plunge adversaries into darkness.

Case in point, Russia conducted an unexpected anti-satellite (ASAT) test in 2021, drawing the ire of US officials. At the time, a missile smashed into a derelict Russian satellite, creating a massive debris field that threatened the lives of its own cosmonauts on board the International Space Station.

More on anti-satellite tech: US Military Alarmed by Russian Nuclear Weapon Platform in Orbit

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Russian Nuclear Military Satellite Spinning Out of Control

Man Renovates Decommissioned Missile Silo Into Delightful Airbnb, Attracts "Swingers"

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A man in Arkansas turned a decommissioned missile silo into a lavish Airbnb over ten years, spending $800,000.

Doomsdairbnb

A man in Arkansas turned a decommissioned missile silo into a lavish short-term rental property.

But whether it was a wise long-term investment remains to be seen. As owner GT Hill tells Business Insider, he bought the silo for $90,000 in 2010, and then spent a whopping $800,000 over ten years to convert the space into a unique rental experience.

"Probably 20 percent of my interest was in the doomsday prepper aspect or the idea of preparing to survive in the case of a catastrophe," Hill wrote. "I'm not a full doomsday prepper, but I like the idea of being prepared for the unknown, including having food storage and some survival skills."

The end product, dubbed Titan II, is a 3500-square-foot living space located in the middle of a 200-acre ranch and 150 feet below the ground. Hill says it's already hosted famous YouTubers, bands, birthday parties, and "even some swingers."

And in case the end of the world is nigh, Hill will have the ideal place to seek shelter for himself and his family — as long as it's not already booked up, that is.

"Being underground the place is typically cooler than a normal living space but extra blankets are provided," the Airbnb description reads.

Location, Location

The missile silo itself was decommissioned after Russia and the US signed a treaty in 1979 to limit their nuclear arsenals.

"They actually had to blow up the top of the structure and fill it in," Hill wrote. "So it was an underground structure, but completely buried."

The ten years of hard work Hill put into the property included pumping out a tidal wave of water that had accumulated in the space.

"The place had asbestos and methane gas at the top of the control center, where the crew quarters were," Hill wrote. "I recorded videos of the whole process, and you can actually hear my voice change because of the methane in the air."

"After spending $800,000, we're probably netting $80,000 a year in revenue from the place now that I rent it out on Airbnb," he added.

In short, "it's not a great way to spend time or money," Hill admitted.

More on Airbnb: Airbnb Apologizes After Allowing Listing for "1830s Slave Cabin"

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Suspected Russian Spy Whale Found Dead Under Mysterious Circumstances

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On Saturday,

RIP Hvaldimir

In 2019, a purported "Russian spy beluga" stole our hearts — and now, we must mourn its early demise.

The 2,000-pound sea creature, later dubbed Hvaldimir, was found by Norwegian fishermen with a camera mount harness that read "Equipment of St. Petersburg," resulting in intrigue and speculation.

Over the last five years, Hvaldimir has been the subject of several viral stories, from the time it retrieved a GoPro to playing fetch.

But over the weekend, the jolly beluga was found dead — and animal activists are in disagreement about how he died.

"It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Hvaldimir’s passing," Norwegian non-profit Marine Mind, which has been tracking the whale's whereabouts, wrote in an Instagram post. "This morning, after receiving a sighting report from a local, our team arrived to find Hvaldimir floating peacefully in the water."

"It is not immediately clear what caused his death," he continued, and a "necropsy will be conducted to determine his early passing."

Suspicious Circumstances

The events surrounding the whale's death remain shrouded in mystery — which is only fitting considering his much-debated "Russian spy" past.

Hvaldimir was estimated to be around 14 to 15 years old, only roughly half of the average lifespan of a beluga whale.

Last year, marine science student and whale tracker Emma Luck noted that Hvaldimir's appearance had changed dramatically, tweeting that "you can see how much weight he has lost."

In May of last year, scientists raised concerns that the whale was possibly not eating enough fish.

While Marine Mind founder Sebastian Strand told AFP that there were no signs of visible injuries, nonprofit One Whale founder Regina Raug referred to "holes pouring with blood from his body" in an Instagram video.

"We got to visit Hvaldimir today ourselves and see him and say goodbye, and there was no question that he was dying from something very unnatural and heartbreaking," she said.

Fortunately, we'll hopefully soon hear more.

"The autopsy is conducted by the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, and the conclusion will be public in two or three weeks," the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries told People in a statement.

Speculation aside, it's an unfortunate end to a much-beloved creature.

"Over the past five years, he touched the lives of tens of thousands, bringing people together in awe of the wonders of nature," Marine Mind wrote in its Instagram post. "Rest in peace, Hvaldimir. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten."

More on Hvaldimir: The Suspected Russian Spy Whale Isn't Looking So Good

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