Brian Whitmore
@powervertical.bsky.social
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A blog and podcast about Russian and post-Soviet politics.
reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Josh Marshall
about 23 hours ago
remarkable amount of talk abt how Trump is going to administer Venezuela when he pretty clearly hasn't overthrown the current govt yet
add a skeleton here at some point
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Well worth it read
open.substack.com/pub/macspaun...
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The Dog That Didn't Bark in the Maduro Op
Cuban intelligence runs Venezuela's security apparatus. Where was it when the U.S. snatched the Venezuelan strongman?
https://open.substack.com/pub/macspaunday/p/the-dog-that-didnt-bark-in-the-maduro?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
about 17 hours ago
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about 22 hours ago
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
James Ball
3 days ago
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts. Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Chris Hayes
3 days ago
But what if Maduro’s involvement in the drug trade was an “official act”?
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Darth Putin
3 days ago
When historians discover that the Alaska summit was to negotiate a secret clause dividing the world into 3 spheres, this will all make sense.
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Worth reading
open.substack.com/pub/danieldr...
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Sometimes Constitutional Law is Naive
A few thoughts about unitary executive theory in the Age of Trump.
https://open.substack.com/pub/danieldrezner/p/sometimes-constitutional-law-is-naive?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
3 days ago
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Stephen Moran.
4 days ago
Mamdani has only been Mayor for a day & criminals are already fleeing New York
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Josh Marshall
4 days ago
Who Controls AI Exactly?
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/who-c...
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Who Controls AI Exactly?
I’ve been getting lots of your emails about Artificial Intelligence and its...
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/who-controls-ai-exactly/sharetoken/8c5f88e2-c5c6-441b-b4a6-15ab482afb7d
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Well worth reading
open.substack.com/pub/olgalaut...
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Ukraine Warns Russia Is Preparing a Mass-Casualty False-Flag Attack Ahead of Orthodox Christmas
Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service warned on Jan.
https://open.substack.com/pub/olgalautman/p/ukraine-warns-russia-is-preparing?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
4 days ago
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open.substack.com/pub/shekhovt...
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Russian Political Technologists, Spies, and Proxies
Reconstructing the Kremlin’s chain of command behind “The Other Ukraine”
https://open.substack.com/pub/shekhovtsov/p/russian-political-technologists-spies?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
6 days ago
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True
substack.com/@alisavaldes...
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Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (@alisavaldes)
Please stop saying they “deported” a US-born citizen. You can’t deport someone who never ported. The forced removal of a born citizen from their own country based on their appearance or ancestry is ...
https://substack.com/@alisavaldes/note/c-191479526?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
12 days ago
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Note to
@nytimes.com
editors: there aren’t “territorial disputes” in Donetsk. Russia illegally invaded and is illegally occupying Ukrainian territory. Stop legitimizing the Kremlin’s framing.
13 days ago
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14 days ago
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Chilling…
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
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CBS and CNN Are Being Sacrificed to Trump
Media conglomerates want the president’s permission for mergers—and control of news outlets is at stake.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/trump-paramount-netflix-cnn-cbs/685349/?gift=7WCDJeF8PHjXwTQW1_ACy3-Sqa6agDcaqRYHXBnKUcc
15 days ago
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Always an honor and pleasure to be at ICDS
add a skeleton here at some point
18 days ago
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
ICDS Tallinn
22 days ago
ICDS was pleased to host a roundtable with Brian Whitmore, Assistant Professor at UT Arlington, Non-Resident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council, and host of the
@powervertical.bsky.social
podcast. Discussions centred on his upcoming report "Russian Illusions: How the West Lost the Post-Cold War".
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On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, I speak to Casey Michel
@cjcmichel.bsky.social
about his new report for The Atlantic Council deconstructing the false narratives Russia has used to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine.
www.powervertical.org/2025/12/19/m...
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MYTHS, NARRATIVES, AND WAR
powervertical · MYTHS, NARRATIVES, AND WAR Russia’s war against Ukraine is many things: it’s a war of choice, it’s an illegal war of aggression, and it’s a colonial war. But…
https://www.powervertical.org/2025/12/19/myths-narratives-and-war/
18 days ago
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In the 12th report in The Atlantic Council's (
@atlanticcouncil.bsky.social
) Russia Tomorrow series (Casey Mchel
@cjcmichel.bsky.social
deconstructs the myths and narratives the Kremlin has used to justify its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.
www.atlanticcouncil.org/content-seri...
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Narrating the war: Analyzing Russia’s narratives for its invasion of Ukraine
The latest report in the Atlantic Council's Russia Tomorrow series examines the Kremlin's narratives about its invasion of Ukraine.
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/content-series/russia-tomorrow/narrating-the-war-analyzing-russias-narratives-for-its-invasion-of-ukraine/
18 days ago
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18 days ago
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18 days ago
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This is well worth a read…
open.substack.com/pub/theratio...
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From Conservatism to MAGA: The Authoritarian Pipeline
How ideology becomes a perceptual filter
https://open.substack.com/pub/therationalleague/p/from-conservatism-to-maga-the-authoritarian?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
18 days ago
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Warning! Over-the-top-alliteration alert!
20 days ago
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Germans don’t f**k around when it comes to cleanliness & sanitation!
20 days ago
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Wise words from former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves
open.substack.com/pub/thilves/...
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Washington’s Wolf Warrior Diplomacy Will Be as Successful as China’s
Washington’s Wolf Warrior Diplomacy Will Be as Successful as China’s
https://open.substack.com/pub/thilves/p/washingtons-wolf-warrior-diplomacy?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios
23 days ago
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@pkrugman.bsky.social
really nails it here. A must-read post
open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
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Is This The End of the Free World?
Trump wants to MAGAfy Europe, too
https://open.substack.com/pub/paulkrugman/p/is-this-the-end-of-the-free-world?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios
29 days ago
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Gipper’s Gravespin
about 1 month ago
This is an exceptional podcast on foreign policy, highly recommended:
add a skeleton here at some point
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substack.com/@macspaunday...
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Foreign Office (@macspaunday)
Polish trolling is becoming an Olympic-level sport.
https://substack.com/@macspaunday/note/c-185052141?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
about 1 month ago
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On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, I break down the oligarchic convergence behind the so-called peace plan for Ukraine with Casey Michel
@cjcmichel.bsky.social
and David Kramer
www.powervertical.org/2025/12/05/w...
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WAR, PEACE PLANS, AND OLIGARCHY
powervertical · WAR, PEACE PLANS, AND OLIGARCHY When the details of the Trump administration’s 28-point peace plan for Ukraine were released last month — a plan that seemed to give Russ…
https://www.powervertical.org/2025/12/05/war-peace-plans-and-oligarchy/
about 1 month ago
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open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
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The New US National Security Strategy
Trump Says Openly That the US Wants to Dominate Europe and Make it MAGA
https://open.substack.com/pub/phillipspobrien/p/the-new-us-national-security-strategy?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer
about 1 month ago
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open.substack.com/pub/shankarn...
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Ukraine is Free of Yermak
Good. Very Good.
https://open.substack.com/pub/shankarnarayan/p/ukraine-is-free-of-yermak?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios
about 1 month ago
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open.substack.com/pub/danieldr...
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Five Questions About American Foreign Policy
A few thoughts inspired by the WSJ exclusive regarding Steve Witkoff
https://open.substack.com/pub/danieldrezner/p/five-questions-about-american-foreign?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios
about 1 month ago
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substack.com/@macspaunday...
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Foreign Office (@macspaunday)
Polish meme: “The peace talks were attended by Ushakov and Witkoff.” “And from the American side?”
https://substack.com/@macspaunday/note/c-181860125?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
about 1 month ago
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substack.com/@amysiskind/...
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Amy Siskind (@amysiskind)
YIKES! So disturbing! Trump, Witkoff and Kushner tried to sell out Ukraine, Europe and the US for their own enrichment. There is no bottom. Disgusting! I gifted this so you can read it https://ww...
https://substack.com/@amysiskind/note/c-182416282?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
about 1 month ago
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open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
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What If Trump Wants Goliath to Win?
A guest essay on Ukraine from Nataliya Gumenyuk
https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/what-if-trump-wants-goliath-to-win?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios
about 1 month ago
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Daniel Drezner
about 1 month ago
This this this this THIS!!!!!!
add a skeleton here at some point
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Something else to worry about
www.nytimes.com/video/opinio...
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Video: Opinion | Goodbye, Price Tags. Hello, Dynamic Pricing.
Shopping has always been a game. And now it’s being rigged against you.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000010545598/dynamic-pricing-algorithms.html?smid=url-share
about 1 month ago
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Ahm, wow! Very disturbing
open.substack.com/pub/diplomat...
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Leaked phone calls throw scrutiny on Witkoff’s pro-Kremlin positions (updated)
“It is clear that Witkoff fully favors the Russians,” Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said tonight. “He cannot be trusted to led these negotiations. …He should be fired.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/diplomatic/p/leaked-phone-calls-throw-scrutiny?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios
about 1 month ago
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substack.com/@socialcontr...
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Joe Walsh (@socialcontractwithjoewalsh)
In the end, it didn’t cut government spending, and there was no promised “savings.” In the end, DOGE destroyed countless lives, ravaged American soft power, killed hundreds of thousands of people arou...
https://substack.com/@socialcontractwithjoewalsh/note/c-180684472?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
about 1 month ago
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Indeed
substack.com/@anneappleba...
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Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum)
I think the American public has the right to be told about the secret protocols of the Witkoff-Dmitriev pact. What business deals have been agreed?
https://substack.com/@anneapplebaum/note/c-179387685?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
about 1 month ago
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Indeed
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 month ago
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Maria Drutska
about 1 month ago
Ungrateful Ukrainians, didn’t even thank for such a brilliant plan of their own capitulation and rewarding the Russian aggressor.
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Maria Drutska
about 1 month ago
The full text of the EU counterproposal has been released. Interesting reading. I wonder how the negotiations this week will go.
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reposted by
Brian Whitmore
Maria Drutska
about 2 months ago
Ukraine could have surrendered in 2014. But we didn’t. Ukraine could have surrendered in 2022. But we didn’t. And we could surrender now. But we will not. We. Are. Ukrainians. We will not surrender.
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Highly recommended
open.substack.com/pub/newrepub...
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Trump’s Case Against James Comey Is Crashing and Burning
The administration’s effort to take revenge against the former FBI Director is on the verge of collapse thanks to the Justice Department’s stunning missteps.
https://open.substack.com/pub/newrepublic/p/trumps-case-against-james-comey-is?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios
about 1 month ago
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Ukraine is facing one of its most perilous moments since the Russian full-scale invasion. On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, I break it down with the always insightful Mike Carpenter and James Sherr
www.powervertical.org/2025/11/21/u...
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UKRAINE’S PERILOUS MOMENT
powervertical · UKRAINE'S PERILOUS MOMENT The most damaging corruption scandal of Volodymyr Zelensky’s presidency could not have come at a worse time. Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies …
https://www.powervertical.org/2025/11/21/ukraines-perilous-moment/
about 2 months ago
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The Power Vertical Podcast did not appear last week. In its place I moderated a panel at The Atlantic Council launching a great paper by Hanna Liubakova, Minsk in Moscow's Grip, on Russia's de facto takeover of Belarus. Panelists included Agnia Grigas & Giselle Bosse
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCdV...
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Report launch: How Russia subjugated Belarus without annexation
YouTube video by AtlanticCouncil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCdV6fe_OBo
about 2 months ago
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Well worth a read
open.substack.com/pub/wessiler...
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Citizens United Broke American Politics. This New Plan From Montana Aims To Fix That
By removing dark money from politics, The Montana Plan could restore American democracy
https://open.substack.com/pub/wessiler/p/citizens-united-broke-american-politics?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios
about 2 months ago
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lol
substack.com/@borowitzrep...
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Andy Borowitz (@borowitzreport)
Lauren Boebert withstood the pressure to change her vote on the Epstein Files, so now Mike Johnson is less likely to get into Heaven than a woman who gave a handjob in a theater
https://substack.com/@borowitzreport/note/c-176904317?r=q0v4n&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
about 2 months ago
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Well worth a read
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/o...
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Opinion | Democrats Sure Taught Trump a Lesson
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/opinion/shutdown-democrats-senate-midterms.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
about 2 months ago
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