The Shift; The War Reporter; Robo; Mysterious Russian Deaths | 60 Minutes Full episodes
14 Nov 2024 (1 month ago)
2024 Election Results and Impact
- Ros, a former waitress who now runs a diner, voted for Donald Trump despite growing up in a Democratic household, citing concerns over inflation and economic struggles, which she feels have not improved despite reported economic gains (18s).
- Andre Tappen, a war reporter, has a family history of bravery and is not intimidated by danger (41s).
- A robot named Robo is sculpting marble from a famous Italian quarry, using a 13-foot arm and diamond-crusted finger, which is significantly faster and more efficient than traditional methods (1m13s).
- The 2024 US presidential election saw Donald Trump win all seven swing states, with six of them flipping from Joe Biden's column in 2020, and Trump making gains in key demographics such as young people, Latinos, and women (2m7s).
- Republicans took control of the Senate and are on track to control the House, with over 80% of the nation's counties moving to the right, leaving Democrats to argue over how they misread the people (2m28s).
- To understand the shift in the election, a visit was made to Pennsylvania, specifically Northampton County, which has a mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas and is considered a key location for picking presidents (2m57s).
- Chris Borick, a professor of political science at Muhlenberg College, has been conducting polls of Pennsylvania voters for 25 years and notes that Trump won the county due to voters' concerns over issues such as housing prices and grocery prices (3m23s).
- The Nazareth Diner, near Bethlehem, is a microcosm of the election, with patrons citing high inflation, interest rates, and housing prices as major concerns, and the average tab increasing from $24 in 2020 to $38 (4m15s).
- Some people who voted for Donald Trump do not feel the positive effects of the current economic conditions, such as lower inflation and interest rates, and higher wages, despite these changes being in their favor (5m7s).
- According to Anthony Salvanto, CBS News executive director of Elections and surveys, Trump voters believed that things would be better financially under Donald Trump, recalling the time before the pandemic when the economy was good (5m52s).
- The Maga base within the Republican Party has a very personal connection to Donald Trump, and many of them turn out to vote just because he is on the ticket (6m16s).
- Trump swept the swing states, including Michigan, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, by a narrow margin, which may represent a major realignment of the American electorate (6m28s).
- Republicans did better among young voters and Latino voters, with historic support from the Latino community, which has been building over several election cycles (7m6s).
- According to Leslie Sanchez, a Republican political analyst, second and third-generation Latino families are sensitive to inflation and prices, and an open border, which created a desire for change and led them to feel that the Democratic party had left them (7m30s).
- Donald Trump's election day support among Latinos jumped 14 points, and Latinos are now 20% of the US population and the fastest-growing community (7m52s).
- Ronald Corales, a Latino barber shop owner in Pennsylvania, believes that the economy was a key factor in Trump's inroads with Latino voters, as many are working-class people with families to support (8m22s).
- Corales also finds common ground with Trump on immigration, believing that immigration should be done legally and hoping that Trump will bring some kind of legalization to immigrants (9m3s).
- The US-Mexico border has a long-standing cultural and economic relationship, but the recent influx of migrants has disrupted this balance, putting pressure on Border Patrol, First Responders, and local municipalities (9m19s).
- Democrats may have taken Latinos for granted, assuming they would naturally support the party as their population grew, but in the last 10 years, about 10% more Hispanic Americans have moved into the middle class and are more sensitive to economic issues (9m44s).
- This shift in the Latino community's priorities may lead to a lasting change in their voting patterns, potentially making them allies to politicians who can address their economic concerns (10m15s).
The Latino Vote and Donald Trump
- Republicans did better among young voters and Latino voters, with historic support from the Latino community, which has been building over several election cycles (7m6s).
- According to Leslie Sanchez, a Republican political analyst, second and third-generation Latino families are sensitive to inflation and prices, and an open border, which created a desire for change and led them to feel that the Democratic party had left them (7m30s).
- Donald Trump's election day support among Latinos jumped 14 points, and Latinos are now 20% of the US population and the fastest-growing community (7m52s).
- Ronald Corales, a Latino barber shop owner in Pennsylvania, believes that the economy was a key factor in Trump's inroads with Latino voters, as many are working-class people with families to support (8m22s).
- Corales also finds common ground with Trump on immigration, believing that immigration should be done legally and hoping that Trump will bring some kind of legalization to immigrants (9m3s).
- The US-Mexico border has a long-standing cultural and economic relationship, but the recent influx of migrants has disrupted this balance, putting pressure on Border Patrol, First Responders, and local municipalities (9m19s).
- Democrats may have taken Latinos for granted, assuming they would naturally support the party as their population grew, but in the last 10 years, about 10% more Hispanic Americans have moved into the middle class and are more sensitive to economic issues (9m44s).
- This shift in the Latino community's priorities may lead to a lasting change in their voting patterns, potentially making them allies to politicians who can address their economic concerns (10m15s).
Understanding the Election Shift
- To understand the shift in the election, a visit was made to Pennsylvania, specifically Northampton County, which has a mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas and is considered a key location for picking presidents (2m57s).
- Chris Borick, a professor of political science at Muhlenberg College, has been conducting polls of Pennsylvania voters for 25 years and notes that Trump won the county due to voters' concerns over issues such as housing prices and grocery prices (3m23s).
- The Nazareth Diner, near Bethlehem, is a microcosm of the election, with patrons citing high inflation, interest rates, and housing prices as major concerns, and the average tab increasing from $24 in 2020 to $38 (4m15s).
- Some people who voted for Donald Trump do not feel the positive effects of the current economic conditions, such as lower inflation and interest rates, and higher wages, despite these changes being in their favor (5m7s).
- According to Anthony Salvanto, CBS News executive director of Elections and surveys, Trump voters believed that things would be better financially under Donald Trump, recalling the time before the pandemic when the economy was good (5m52s).
- The Maga base within the Republican Party has a very personal connection to Donald Trump, and many of them turn out to vote just because he is on the ticket (6m16s).
- Trump swept the swing states, including Michigan, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, by a narrow margin, which may represent a major realignment of the American electorate (6m28s).
Economic Concerns of Voters
- The Nazareth Diner, near Bethlehem, is a microcosm of the election, with patrons citing high inflation, interest rates, and housing prices as major concerns, and the average tab increasing from $24 in 2020 to $38 (4m15s).
- Some people who voted for Donald Trump do not feel the positive effects of the current economic conditions, such as lower inflation and interest rates, and higher wages, despite these changes being in their favor (5m7s).
- According to Anthony Salvanto, CBS News executive director of Elections and surveys, Trump voters believed that things would be better financially under Donald Trump, recalling the time before the pandemic when the economy was good (5m52s).
Trump's Appeal to the Maga Base
- The Maga base within the Republican Party has a very personal connection to Donald Trump, and many of them turn out to vote just because he is on the ticket (6m16s).
Andrei Taplenko: A Ukrainian War Reporter
- Andrei Taplenko, a war reporter, has been traveling to conflict zones around the globe for more than two decades and became a trusted source of information from the front line when Vladimir Putin sent Russian tanks and missiles across Ukraine's borders (15m33s).
- Taplenko told us he's fighting for Ukraine's survival using his reporting and the truth as his weapons, and he's as fearless a journalist as they come (15m55s).
- Taplenko reported that the American-supplied Striker fighting vehicles are helping the Ukrainians to storm Russian positions, and one soldier said Russian landmines 15 yards away feel like a slight scratch against the armor (16m46s).
- Taplenko believes that being a witness of what's going on is important, and he wants to share this with the audience so they can also be witnesses of what is going on (17m4s).
- Taplenko's graphic accounts from the field for the privately owned Channel 1+1 have shaped how many Ukrainians see the war, and he's told stories of heroism but also turned a critical eye on his own country (17m39s).
- Taplenko believes that freedom of speech is very important and a crucial thing that helps Ukraine win the war, and a free media system is helping Ukraine win the war (18m0s).
- Taplenko has some history with Russia, growing up as a citizen of the USSR in the city of Kharkiv and even doing national service with the Soviet military in the late 1980s (18m36s).
- Andrei Taplenko, a Ukrainian war reporter, worshipped American democracy and called for Ukrainian independence from Moscow in 1990, which was a rebellious act at the time due to the risk of KGB intervention (18m50s).
- After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Taplenko became an international war reporter, broadcasting from various conflict zones including Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, and West Africa, and learned how easy wars are to start and difficult to stop (19m34s).
- In February 2022, with Russian troops amassed along Ukraine's border, Taplenko stated that Ukrainians had already made their choice between war and dishonor, and every window in the town would shoot at the invaders, which proved prophetic (20m40s).
- Taplenko has come close to losing his life, including taking a shrapnel wound to his leg while reporting outside the town of Chiv in 2022, and believes there is no safe place in Ukraine due to the threat of Russian missile attacks (21m19s).
- Despite the risks, Taplenko continues to report, sleeping only around 4 hours a night and not taking a day off since the invasion, and has raised around $2 million for the Ukrainian military (22m12s).
- Taplenko is not an unbiased observer of the war, openly taking Ukraine's side, and believes that Ukrainian journalists are not unique in doing so, as they are also seen as "information soldiers" in the conflict (23m22s).
- Taplenko's reporting is focused on fighting an "information war" by reporting the truth, which he believes is that Ukraine is doing battle against evil, and he is respected both on the front line and by Ukrainian society (22m55s).
War Reporting from the Front Lines
- Taplenko reported that the American-supplied Striker fighting vehicles are helping the Ukrainians to storm Russian positions, and one soldier said Russian landmines 15 yards away feel like a slight scratch against the armor (16m46s).
- Taplenko believes that being a witness of what's going on is important, and he wants to share this with the audience so they can also be witnesses of what is going on (17m4s).
Taplenko's Background and Beliefs
- Taplenko's graphic accounts from the field for the privately owned Channel 1+1 have shaped how many Ukrainians see the war, and he's told stories of heroism but also turned a critical eye on his own country (17m39s).
- Taplenko believes that freedom of speech is very important and a crucial thing that helps Ukraine win the war, and a free media system is helping Ukraine win the war (18m0s).
- Taplenko has some history with Russia, growing up as a citizen of the USSR in the city of Kharkiv and even doing national service with the Soviet military in the late 1980s (18m36s).
- Andrei Taplenko, a Ukrainian war reporter, worshipped American democracy and called for Ukrainian independence from Moscow in 1990, which was a rebellious act at the time due to the risk of KGB intervention (18m50s).
- After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Taplenko became an international war reporter, broadcasting from various conflict zones including Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, and West Africa, and learned how easy wars are to start and difficult to stop (19m34s).
Life Under Threat
- Taplenko has come close to losing his life, including taking a shrapnel wound to his leg while reporting outside the town of Chiv in 2022, and believes there is no safe place in Ukraine due to the threat of Russian missile attacks (21m19s).
- Despite the risks, Taplenko continues to report, sleeping only around 4 hours a night and not taking a day off since the invasion, and has raised around $2 million for the Ukrainian military (22m12s).
- Taplenko is not an unbiased observer of the war, openly taking Ukraine's side, and believes that Ukrainian journalists are not unique in doing so, as they are also seen as "information soldiers" in the conflict (23m22s).
- Taplenko's reporting is focused on fighting an "information war" by reporting the truth, which he believes is that Ukraine is doing battle against evil, and he is respected both on the front line and by Ukrainian society (22m55s).
Life in Kharkiv Amidst War
- Andrei Saenko, a war reporter, is from the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine, where residents are under near-daily bombardment by Russian missiles, drones, and glide bombs, with over a quarter of the residents having fled, but those who stayed have strong civic pride (24m15s).
- Saenko's mother, Valentina, a retired shopkeeper, refuses to evacuate, saying Russians will never come to their city, and she will not let them in (25m10s).
- Saenko and his mother speak Russian as their first language, like around a third of Ukrainians, and Vladimir Putin claims that Ukrainians are really Russians, but Saenko disagrees, saying nobody can force him to identify as anybody (25m48s).
The Cost of War and Ukrainian Freedoms
- Putin's invasion has cost the lives of over 100,000 Russian soldiers and more than 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers, according to US officials (27m3s).
- Saenko believes that the freedoms Ukraine has recently begun to enjoy are what the soldiers died for, and he keeps going back to the front line to report on the war (27m24s).
- Saenko sees his work as a calling and an obligation to help his army win and his people survive, and he is proud to be doing his job (27m58s).
Robots in Art: A New Era of Sculpting
- The story shifts to a different topic, introducing a robot named Robo, who is part of a fleet of robots shaking up the art world by carving marble with pinpoint precision and in record time (29m2s).
- Robo is carving marble from the Apuan Alps in Northern Tuscany, where many famous artists, including Michelangelo, have sourced their marble (29m24s).
- Not everyone is happy with the use of robots in art, with one artist saying that Michelangelo would be rolling in his grave (29m17s).
- The Rachon Valley is home to the stones used by Michelangelo in the past, with over 600 quarries in the area, including the one where the team is traveling with Jo Masari, the CEO and co-founder of Robor, a company that makes robots that sculpt marble (29m47s).
- The team visits a tunnel cut into the heart of a marble mountain, where they find a vast cavern hollowed out by Kara's miners over 200 years, known as the "cathedral" (30m30s).
- Robor's next project is a monumental block of marble, about the size of a railway car, weighing 200,000 lb of flawless Carrara stone, which will be moved out of the quarry using cranes and a huge truck (31m9s).
- The team meets Robo, one of the robots taking over sculpture, which is working on a project to create a replica of Leonardo da Vinci's trademark hat using a 13 ft zinc alloy arm and a spinning diamond-crusted finger (31m39s).
- The robot can complete the project in a week, whereas doing it the old-fashioned way with a hammer and chisel would take at least 10 times longer (32m4s).
- Masari explains that his mechanical employees, the robots, don't sleep, get sick, or take holidays, and can work continuously (32m23s).
- The robot's work is based on a 3D file generated from the artist's model, which provides a complex set of instructions for the robot to carve the marble (32m41s).
- According to Masari, about 99% of the work can be done by the robot and computer, with the remaining 1% done by a human artist, which can still translate into months of human work (33m5s).
- Masari argues that using a robot is not cheating, as the artistic approach to programming the machine is a work of art in itself, requiring a sculptural background (33m44s).
- Some artists are hesitant to admit they use robots in their work, with some big-name artists insisting on remaining anonymous due to fear of public perception (34m9s).
- Masari believes that the use of robots does not weaken or strengthen an artist's idea, and that a bad idea will remain bad regardless of whether it's made by a robot or by hand (34m37s).
- Tuscan artist Michael Monr believes that only a human touch can bring out the divine in a stone, and he despairs at seeing masterpieces being copied by robots, considering it sacrilege (34m53s).
- Monr, who started sculpting at age seven, thinks that using machines limits one's mind and creativity, and that it's only a computer program transmitted to the robot, resulting in the loss of satisfaction from creating art by hand (35m30s).
- The prestigious Sculptor Guild of Carrara is also against robots, warning that Italy's artistic heritage is at risk due to the use of machines in art (36m1s).
- Barry X Ball, a contemporary artist from New York City, uses robots to create his works, which have been shown in major museums worldwide, and argues that robots are not replacing human artists but rather adding to the creative process (36m23s).
- Ball has faced criticism for using robots, with some people thinking it's cheating, but he believes that they don't understand the process and that humans are still very involved in the creative process (36m58s).
- Ball used a robot to create a new version of Michelangelo's unfinished sculpture, "Pietà Rondanini," giving the Son of God the face of dying Michelangelo (37m25s).
- The robot allowed Ball to create impossible art, and he left some of the milling marks visible to show the robot's involvement in the process (38m1s).
- Ball employs six finishers for every robot, and his work was shown at a museum in Milan (38m30s).
- The use of robots in Carrara's marble quarries is reviving the area's artistic fortunes by doing the heavy lifting and making it easier for artists to work with marble (39m1s).
- Vermont-based artist Richard Erman added a robot to his team in Carrara after two back surgeries and 40 years in the business, and he believes that the robot has been a big help in his work (39m19s).
- Robo, a machine, is advantageous in sculpting as it makes no mistakes when cutting, unlike hand-cutting with a diamond saw which can be prone to errors if the cutter isn't skillful enough (39m35s).
- Erman's sculptures are held by over 100 galleries and museums worldwide, and his breakout piece "Passage" was made in 1983, a huge sculpture cut from a 700-ton block of Italian travertine (39m54s).
- Erman believes that using Robo would have helped in creating "Passage", and he views the robot as a colleague rather than just a machine (40m21s).
- Erman was initially skeptical of the robots but has come to embrace them, as the business is changing fast and artists who don't use robots will be left behind (40m44s).
- Erman's Robo does about half the work, and then he takes over, polishing the marble until it glows and finishing the hard-to-reach places (41m2s).
- The sounds of traditional sculpting will still be present, but the use of robots is becoming more prevalent in the art world (41m22s).
The Debate on Robots in Art
- Not everyone is happy with the use of robots in art, with one artist saying that Michelangelo would be rolling in his grave (29m17s).
- The Rachon Valley is home to the stones used by Michelangelo in the past, with over 600 quarries in the area, including the one where the team is traveling with Jo Masari, the CEO and co-founder of Robor, a company that makes robots that sculpt marble (29m47s).
- The team visits a tunnel cut into the heart of a marble mountain, where they find a vast cavern hollowed out by Kara's miners over 200 years, known as the "cathedral" (30m30s).
- Robor's next project is a monumental block of marble, about the size of a railway car, weighing 200,000 lb of flawless Carrara stone, which will be moved out of the quarry using cranes and a huge truck (31m9s).
- The team meets Robo, one of the robots taking over sculpture, which is working on a project to create a replica of Leonardo da Vinci's trademark hat using a 13 ft zinc alloy arm and a spinning diamond-crusted finger (31m39s).
- The robot can complete the project in a week, whereas doing it the old-fashioned way with a hammer and chisel would take at least 10 times longer (32m4s).
- Masari explains that his mechanical employees, the robots, don't sleep, get sick, or take holidays, and can work continuously (32m23s).
- The robot's work is based on a 3D file generated from the artist's model, which provides a complex set of instructions for the robot to carve the marble (32m41s).
- According to Masari, about 99% of the work can be done by the robot and computer, with the remaining 1% done by a human artist, which can still translate into months of human work (33m5s).
- Masari argues that using a robot is not cheating, as the artistic approach to programming the machine is a work of art in itself, requiring a sculptural background (33m44s).
- Some artists are hesitant to admit they use robots in their work, with some big-name artists insisting on remaining anonymous due to fear of public perception (34m9s).
- Masari believes that the use of robots does not weaken or strengthen an artist's idea, and that a bad idea will remain bad regardless of whether it's made by a robot or by hand (34m37s).
- Tuscan artist Michael Monr believes that only a human touch can bring out the divine in a stone, and he despairs at seeing masterpieces being copied by robots, considering it sacrilege (34m53s).
- Monr, who started sculpting at age seven, thinks that using machines limits one's mind and creativity, and that it's only a computer program transmitted to the robot, resulting in the loss of satisfaction from creating art by hand (35m30s).
- The prestigious Sculptor Guild of Carrara is also against robots, warning that Italy's artistic heritage is at risk due to the use of machines in art (36m1s).
Barry X Ball: Embracing Robotic Art
- Barry X Ball, a contemporary artist from New York City, uses robots to create his works, which have been shown in major museums worldwide, and argues that robots are not replacing human artists but rather adding to the creative process (36m23s).
- Ball has faced criticism for using robots, with some people thinking it's cheating, but he believes that they don't understand the process and that humans are still very involved in the creative process (36m58s).
- Ball used a robot to create a new version of Michelangelo's unfinished sculpture, "Pietà Rondanini," giving the Son of God the face of dying Michelangelo (37m25s).
- The robot allowed Ball to create impossible art, and he left some of the milling marks visible to show the robot's involvement in the process (38m1s).
- Ball employs six finishers for every robot, and his work was shown at a museum in Milan (38m30s).
Richard Erman: A Sculptor's Perspective on Robots
- Vermont-based artist Richard Erman added a robot to his team in Carrara after two back surgeries and 40 years in the business, and he believes that the robot has been a big help in his work (39m19s).
- Robo, a machine, is advantageous in sculpting as it makes no mistakes when cutting, unlike hand-cutting with a diamond saw which can be prone to errors if the cutter isn't skillful enough (39m35s).
- Erman's sculptures are held by over 100 galleries and museums worldwide, and his breakout piece "Passage" was made in 1983, a huge sculpture cut from a 700-ton block of Italian travertine (39m54s).
- Erman believes that using Robo would have helped in creating "Passage", and he views the robot as a colleague rather than just a machine (40m21s).
- Erman was initially skeptical of the robots but has come to embrace them, as the business is changing fast and artists who don't use robots will be left behind (40m44s).
- Erman's Robo does about half the work, and then he takes over, polishing the marble until it glows and finishing the hard-to-reach places (41m2s).
The Rise of Robotic Art
- The use of robots in Carrara's marble quarries is reviving the area's artistic fortunes by doing the heavy lifting and making it easier for artists to work with marble (39m1s).
- Vermont-based artist Richard Erman added a robot to his team in Carrara after two back surgeries and 40 years in the business, and he believes that the robot has been a big help in his work (39m19s).
- Robo, a machine, is advantageous in sculpting as it makes no mistakes when cutting, unlike hand-cutting with a diamond saw which can be prone to errors if the cutter isn't skillful enough (39m35s).
- Erman's sculptures are held by over 100 galleries and museums worldwide, and his breakout piece "Passage" was made in 1983, a huge sculpture cut from a 700-ton block of Italian travertine (39m54s).
- Erman believes that using Robo would have helped in creating "Passage", and he views the robot as a colleague rather than just a machine (40m21s).
- Erman was initially skeptical of the robots but has come to embrace them, as the business is changing fast and artists who don't use robots will be left behind (40m44s).
- Erman's Robo does about half the work, and then he takes over, polishing the marble until it glows and finishing the hard-to-reach places (41m2s).
- The sounds of traditional sculpting will still be present, but the use of robots is becoming more prevalent in the art world (41m22s).
Mysterious Deaths and Putin's Reach
- The term "mysterious Russian death syndrome" refers to the falls from top-floor windows, poisonings, and unsolved shootings of President Vladimir Putin's enemies (42m4s).
- Since the invasion of Ukraine, Putin has used these methods to go after his critics on Western soil, and it appears he has been able to get away with it with minimal consequences (42m26s).
- The head of Britain's domestic spy agency MI5 stated that Russia is on a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets (43m16s).
- A recent assassination in the seaside resort town of Via Hoosa, Spain, is evidence of Putin's war on the West, and it is believed to be one of the most brazen assassinations committed outside of Russia (43m32s).
- The victim's body was discovered riddled with bullet holes in a parking garage, and it looked like a mafia-style contract killing (43m59s).
- Maxim Kusmanov, a 28-year-old Russian, was found dead in a garage with five bullet wounds, including one in his heart, ribs, and belly, after being shot by unknown assailants (44m19s).
- Kusmanov was a former Russian military helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine in 2023 after being recruited online by Ukrainian Intelligence Officers, and he handed over sensitive military equipment and top-secret Russian intelligence to Ukraine in exchange for $500,000 and a new Ukrainian identity (45m16s).
- Kusmanov's murder was not the first time he had made international headlines, as he had previously spoken out against Russia's actions in Ukraine on national TV, stating that he did not want to be part of the "genocide of Ukrainian people" (46m4s).
- Ukrainian handlers had warned Kusmanov not to leave the country due to fears that Putin would send a Russian military kill team after him, but he did not listen (46m23s).
- An investigation into Kusmanov's murder revealed that two assassins had entered the garage, waited for five hours, and then sprayed him with bullets before fleeing the scene and burning their getaway car with an industrial accelerant (46m50s).
- The use of a silencer on the weapons and the destruction of the getaway car suggest that the killers were professionals who had likely killed before (47m21s).
- The murder bears all the hallmarks of a professional hit, with the killers having surveilled Kusmanov for weeks or months beforehand and using Russian ammunition as a signature (48m3s).
- The investigation suggests that the murder was likely carried out by Russian intelligence services, but the evidence is not conclusive, and the killers may have intentionally left behind clues to mislead investigators (48m31s).
- Maxim Kusmanov, a Russian defector, did not live a quiet life in Spain, often drinking at a local bar and bragging about his true identity, according to a neighbor (48m39s).
- Local authorities in Via Hoosa are no longer in charge of the investigation into Kusmanov's death, which is now handled by the Spanish Civil Guard, equivalent to the FBI (48m55s).
- A gag order has been issued in the case, and authorities have said little about it publicly, except to warn of a forceful response if Russia is proven to be behind Kusmanov's death (49m6s).
- Kusmanov's death was celebrated on Russian State television and by the former Prime Minister (49m30s).
- A source close to the investigation provided photos of men identified as persons of interest in Kusmanov's murder, including a former KGB officer and a Russian police Colonel's relative (49m50s).
- It is believed that the Russian government may be involved in Kusmanov's death, with some thinking it was the Russian special services that killed him (50m13s).
- In a bizarre twist, Kusmanov seemed to rise from the dead five months after his death, with pictures appearing on social media of a man who looked like him at an air show, later revealed to be a Ukrainian intelligence officer in disguise (50m35s).
- The Ukrainians were conducting a misinformation campaign to make the world think Kusmanov had survived the assassination attempt and was still working for Ukraine (50m54s).
- The real Kusmanov was buried in an unmarked grave in southern Spain (51m10s).
- The Spanish government has not been vocal about the murder on their soil, possibly to avoid panic among tourists and to prevent escalation (51m21s).
- Western governments may be looking the other way in some cases, fearing escalation and the risk of directly confronting the Kremlin (51m34s).
- There have been over 60 mysterious deaths of Putin's enemies in Russia and Europe since the Ukraine War began, including gas executive Sergey Protasov and his family, and real estate executive Dimitri Zelenov (51m46s).
- European officials are increasingly concerned about how much Putin gets away with and are warning that if he is not stopped at his borders, he will continue to march on (52m25s).
- The European Union's ambassador to the United States, Rita Neipa, has expressed concerns about Russia's attacks on infrastructure and the need to stop Putin (52m31s).
- Russia has been accused of targeting arms shipments, railways, and critical infrastructure in Europe through sabotage and cyber attacks, testing the stability of Europe and pushing to see how much they can get away with (52m41s).
- President Biden stated that if Putin is not stopped, he will continue because he only understands the language of strength, and Russia has been implicated in various attacks, including a firebombing at a German factory and the cutting of an underwater gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea (53m11s).
- The EU has announced new sanctions aimed at organizations and people that carry out violence for Russia, and if proven that any Spanish or EU citizens helped the killers of Maxim Kusmanov escape, the sanctions could be aimed at them (53m53s).
- The question remains whether sanctions and diplomacy are working, but it is believed that without these measures, the war would be on a different scale and attitude (54m12s).
- Russia is not considered to be winning, and the situation is a warning for everyone, including the United States, that Russia's actions are not limited to Ukraine but are happening everywhere (54m32s).
- Vladimir Putin's actions are a warning to the United States, and the country needs to be vigilant, as Putin is bringing his war on the West to US soil (55m4s).
- The US Department of Justice is concerned about Putin going after his critics on US soil, and the head of the National Security division, Matt Olsen, believes that what happened to Kusmanov in Spain could happen in the US (55m46s).
- Olsen's team has prosecuted nearly 60 cases related to Russian disinformation, sanctions violations, and espionage since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and he thinks the US should be very concerned about Putin's aggression (56m35s).
- Russian intelligence assets are currently working in the United States, posing a threat by repressing critics of the Putin regime, conducting foreign malign influence, interfering in elections and politics, carrying out cyber attacks, and putting critical infrastructure at risk (56m56s).
- The Russian intelligence services have been on a war footing over the past couple of years, and the US is working closely with European counterparts to share information and best practices to counter these threats (57m37s).
- US intelligence officials provided information that helped Germany stop a Russian assassination attempt earlier this year, saving the life of a German company CEO who provides weapons to Ukraine (57m55s).
- However, not all plots have been stopped, such as the case of Maxim Kusmanov in Spain, and it is possible that similar incidents could occur in the US (58m12s).
- In 2020, Russian defector Alexander Povaliy was followed and his car photographed in Miami by someone hired by Russian intelligence, which is concerning as it shows Russia's willingness to carry out operations on US soil (58m43s).
- The investigation into the Povaliy case led to the arrest of Hector Fuentes, a Mexican citizen who had studied in Russia and had a Russian family, and who had agreed to carry out activities on behalf of Russian intelligence in exchange for cooperation on a personal matter (59m26s).
- Fuentes had rented an apartment in a particular complex in Florida and conducted surveillance to locate Povaliy's car, but was caught by a security guard and later admitted to working for Russian intelligence (59m51s).
- The case highlights the concern that Russia could potentially carry out operations on US soil if they put in the effort, and it is a focus of the US Justice Department and FBI to prevent such activities (58m33s).
- Alexander Povaliy is a Russian defector who was being tracked by Fuentes, and there is only one known picture of him from his early days (1h0m36s).
- Alexander Povalenko, also known as "POV," was a double agent working for the US in 2010, and his actions led to the exposure of a group of Russian spies living in the US, which was the basis for the TV show "The Americans" (1h0m43s).
- POV's boss, Alexander Povalenko, gave away the identities of the spies to US intelligence and fled to Miami, prompting Putin to want him dead, but sources claim POV is still alive and in hiding (1h1m20s).
- The decision to kill an enemy on US soil is a calculated risk that Russia must weigh, considering the potential blowback on the international stage (1h1m37s).
- The FBI has the resources to fight back against Russia in the US, but it can be difficult to stop a determined assassin, and it's possible for Russia to carry out attacks without being detected (1h1m56s).
- If the Kremlin wanted to kill an opponent in the US, they might make it look like a suicide, which would be difficult to investigate and prove otherwise (1h2m33s).
- The death of Dan Rapaport, a vocal Putin critic, in 2022, is considered undetermined by DC police, and the case is still open, with some speculating that Russia might be trying to cover its tracks (1h3m3s).
- Retired FBI agent Alan Kohler believes that the US took its eye off Russia after 9/11 and that dismissing Russia as an intelligence threat would be unwise, as they are still a danger and have the same capabilities and intent as before (1h3m44s).
- Putin has been able to "poison and kill his way around the world" for over a decade with relatively minor consequences, such as sanctions on his government, and his behavior has not changed (1h4m20s).
- The question of whether someone got away with something is posed, with an objective observer concluding that the answer is yes (1h4m32s).
The Assassination of Maxim Kusmanov
- A recent assassination in the seaside resort town of Via Hoosa, Spain, is evidence of Putin's war on the West, and it is believed to be one of the most brazen assassinations committed outside of Russia (43m32s).
- The victim's body was discovered riddled with bullet holes in a parking garage, and it looked like a mafia-style contract killing (43m59s).
- Maxim Kusmanov, a 28-year-old Russian, was found dead in a garage with five bullet wounds, including one in his heart, ribs, and belly, after being shot by unknown assailants (44m19s).
- Kusmanov was a former Russian military helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine in 2023 after being recruited online by Ukrainian Intelligence Officers, and he handed over sensitive military equipment and top-secret Russian intelligence to Ukraine in exchange for $500,000 and a new Ukrainian identity (45m16s).
- Kusmanov's murder was not the first time he had made international headlines, as he had previously spoken out against Russia's actions in Ukraine on national TV, stating that he did not want to be part of the "genocide of Ukrainian people" (46m4s).
- Ukrainian handlers had warned Kusmanov not to leave the country due to fears that Putin would send a Russian military kill team after him, but he did not listen (46m23s).
- An investigation into Kusmanov's murder revealed that two assassins had entered the garage, waited for five hours, and then sprayed him with bullets before fleeing the scene and burning their getaway car with an industrial accelerant (46m50s).
- The use of a silencer on the weapons and the destruction of the getaway car suggest that the killers were professionals who had likely killed before (47m21s).
- The murder bears all the hallmarks of a professional hit, with the killers having surveilled Kusmanov for weeks or months beforehand and using Russian ammunition as a signature (48m3s).
- The investigation suggests that the murder was likely carried out by Russian intelligence services, but the evidence is not conclusive, and the killers may have intentionally left behind clues to mislead investigators (48m31s).
- Maxim Kusmanov, a Russian defector, did not live a quiet life in Spain, often drinking at a local bar and bragging about his true identity, according to a neighbor (48m39s).
- Local authorities in Via Hoosa are no longer in charge of the investigation into Kusmanov's death, which is now handled by the Spanish Civil Guard, equivalent to the FBI (48m55s).
- A gag order has been issued in the case, and authorities have said little about it publicly, except to warn of a forceful response if Russia is proven to be behind Kusmanov's death (49m6s).
- Kusmanov's death was celebrated on Russian State television and by the former Prime Minister (49m30s).
- A source close to the investigation provided photos of men identified as persons of interest in Kusmanov's murder, including a former KGB officer and a Russian police Colonel's relative (49m50s).
- It is believed that the Russian government may be involved in Kusmanov's death, with some thinking it was the Russian special services that killed him (50m13s).
- In a bizarre twist, Kusmanov seemed to rise from the dead five months after his death, with pictures appearing on social media of a man who looked like him at an air show, later revealed to be a Ukrainian intelligence officer in disguise (50m35s).
- The Ukrainians were conducting a misinformation campaign to make the world think Kusmanov had survived the assassination attempt and was still working for Ukraine (50m54s).
- The real Kusmanov was buried in an unmarked grave in southern Spain (51m10s).
Russia's Actions in Europe
- There have been over 60 mysterious deaths of Putin's enemies in Russia and Europe since the Ukraine War began, including gas executive Sergey Protasov and his family, and real estate executive Dimitri Zelenov (51m46s).
- European officials are increasingly concerned about how much Putin gets away with and are warning that if he is not stopped at his borders, he will continue to march on (52m25s).
- The European Union's ambassador to the United States, Rita Neipa, has expressed concerns about Russia's attacks on infrastructure and the need to stop Putin (52m31s).
- Russia has been accused of targeting arms shipments, railways, and critical infrastructure in Europe through sabotage and cyber attacks, testing the stability of Europe and pushing to see how much they can get away with (52m41s).
- President Biden stated that if Putin is not stopped, he will continue because he only understands the language of strength, and Russia has been implicated in various attacks, including a firebombing at a German factory and the cutting of an underwater gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea (53m11s).
- The EU has announced new sanctions aimed at organizations and people that carry out violence for Russia, and if proven that any Spanish or EU citizens helped the killers of Maxim Kusmanov escape, the sanctions could be aimed at them (53m53s).
- The question remains whether sanctions and diplomacy are working, but it is believed that without these measures, the war would be on a different scale and attitude (54m12s).
- Russia is not considered to be winning, and the situation is a warning for everyone, including the United States, that Russia's actions are not limited to Ukraine but are happening everywhere (54m32s).
Putin's Threat to the United States
- Vladimir Putin's actions are a warning to the United States, and the country needs to be vigilant, as Putin is bringing his war on the West to US soil (55m4s).
- The US Department of Justice is concerned about Putin going after his critics on US soil, and the head of the National Security division, Matt Olsen, believes that what happened to Kusmanov in Spain could happen in the US (55m46s).
- Olsen's team has prosecuted nearly 60 cases related to Russian disinformation, sanctions violations, and espionage since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and he thinks the US should be very concerned about Putin's aggression (56m35s).
- Russian intelligence assets are currently working in the United States, posing a threat by repressing critics of the Putin regime, conducting foreign malign influence, interfering in elections and politics, carrying out cyber attacks, and putting critical infrastructure at risk (56m56s).
- The Russian intelligence services have been on a war footing over the past couple of years, and the US is working closely with European counterparts to share information and best practices to counter these threats (57m37s).
- US intelligence officials provided information that helped Germany stop a Russian assassination attempt earlier this year, saving the life of a German company CEO who provides weapons to Ukraine (57m55s).
- However, not all plots have been stopped, such as the case of Maxim Kusmanov in Spain, and it is possible that similar incidents could occur in the US (58m12s).
- In 2020, Russian defector Alexander Povaliy was followed and his car photographed in Miami by someone hired by Russian intelligence, which is concerning as it shows Russia's willingness to carry out operations on US soil (58m43s).
- The investigation into the Povaliy case led to the arrest of Hector Fuentes, a Mexican citizen who had studied in Russia and had a Russian family, and who had agreed to carry out activities on behalf of Russian intelligence in exchange for cooperation on a personal matter (59m26s).
- Fuentes had rented an apartment in a particular complex in Florida and conducted surveillance to locate Povaliy's car, but was caught by a security guard and later admitted to working for Russian intelligence (59m51s).
- The case highlights the concern that Russia could potentially carry out operations on US soil if they put in the effort, and it is a focus of the US Justice Department and FBI to prevent such activities (58m33s).
The Case of Alexander Povaliy
- In 2020, Russian defector Alexander Povaliy was followed and his car photographed in Miami by someone hired by Russian intelligence, which is concerning as it shows Russia's willingness to carry out operations on US soil (58m43s).
- The investigation into the Povaliy case led to the arrest of Hector Fuentes, a Mexican citizen who had studied in Russia and had a Russian family, and who had agreed to carry out activities on behalf of Russian intelligence in exchange for cooperation on a personal matter (59m26s).
- Fuentes had rented an apartment in a particular complex in Florida and conducted surveillance to locate Povaliy's car, but was caught by a security guard and later admitted to working for Russian intelligence (59m51s).
- The case highlights the concern that Russia could potentially carry out operations on US soil if they put in the effort, and it is a focus of the US Justice Department and FBI to prevent such activities (58m33s).
The Story of Alexander Povalenko (POV)
- Alexander Povalenko, also known as "POV," was a double agent working for the US in 2010, and his actions led to the exposure of a group of Russian spies living in the US, which was the basis for the TV show "The Americans" (1h0m43s).
- POV's boss, Alexander Povalenko, gave away the identities of the spies to US intelligence and fled to Miami, prompting Putin to want him dead, but sources claim POV is still alive and in hiding (1h1m20s).
The Risks and Challenges of Targeting Enemies on US Soil
- The decision to kill an enemy on US soil is a calculated risk that Russia must weigh, considering the potential blowback on the international stage (1h1m37s).
- The FBI has the resources to fight back against Russia in the US, but it can be difficult to stop a determined assassin, and it's possible for Russia to carry out attacks without being detected (1h1m56s).
- If the Kremlin wanted to kill an opponent in the US, they might make it look like a suicide, which would be difficult to investigate and prove otherwise (1h2m33s).
- The death of Dan Rapaport, a vocal Putin critic, in 2022, is considered undetermined by DC police, and the case is still open, with some speculating that Russia might be trying to cover its tracks (1h3m3s).
- Retired FBI agent Alan Kohler believes that the US took its eye off Russia after 9/11 and that dismissing Russia as an intelligence threat would be unwise, as they are still a danger and have the same capabilities and intent as before (1h3m44s).
Conclusion and Next Week's Preview