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Molly McKew

@MollyMcKew

Feb 24

@CNN

Note to @CNN friends: A major line of effort from Putin, incl in his declaration of war where he made special note that the ‘spoils of World War II’ still belong to him, is to split members states of NATO from each other. Differentiate new and old. This map helps with that. /1

https://twitter.com/davidpriess/status/1496846027894181900

Every NATO alley is equal in the alliance. There can be no differentiation in how we view them and prepare for their defense.

And a special note from me:

that it is some of our newer NATO allies who bring critical capabilities to the fight /2

In intelligence and cyber defense,
SOF capabilities and more, these states Putin wants cut off from the alliance being critical capabilities, show up when asked, invest in their national defense, and have the will and clarity we need.

They lead from the frontlines 🇪🇪 🇱🇻 🇱🇹 /3

Read 4 tweets

Molly McKew

@MollyMcKew

Feb 18

https://twitter.com/mjluxmoore/status/1494664505699274755

Before Russia started hostilities against the Georgians in 2008, they evacuated 80%+ of the civilian population of Tskhinvali and claimed the Georgians were responsible for massive civilian casualties (all claims later proven false)

https://twitter.com/mjluxmoore/status/1494664505699274755

Worth noting: in Georgia, this was done COVERTLY, not overtly, and I wonder at the difference here, whether it is for projection of threat.

(In Georgia, they needed civilians out of way so they wouldn’t clog up Roki tunnel during fighting, very different operational purpose)

Those 2008 evacs were run by Russian forces directly.

Read 6 tweets

Molly McKew

@MollyMcKew

Feb 14

Re-reading parts of “A Little War That Shook the World” — about the Russia-Georgia war in 2008 — and slightly depressed by how very now this section sounds if you swap out Georgia for Ukraine /1

But the frequency with which we forget that the point of the post Cold War security order is “to protect small states from the predatory behavior of more powerful ones” — we could all do with a refresher on this point /2

Also this, especially the second paragraph. Ukraine is not a “proxy war” — but we are a party to the conflict because of Russian objectives, and stepping back and pretending it isn’t our fight doubly misses the point /3

Read 4 tweets

Molly McKew

@MollyMcKew

Feb 11

Really interesting detail in the ASIO 🇦🇺 Annual Threat Assessment about a disrupted foreign interference plot targeting recent election

Lots of specific detail on how whole thing was structured to hide foreign origin and strings, keep targets ignorant /1

asio.gov.au/publications/s…

What’s so remarkable is that in places like the US where dark money can legally pour into elections — this could describe almost every PAC that is well organized /2

Worthy emphasizing:

“The perpetrators of foreign interference carefully hide their true motivations. But that does not mean politicians are powerless to protect themselves.” /3

Read 4 tweets

Molly McKew

@MollyMcKew

Feb 4

Let me say this a dozen different ways, I guess:

The century where everybody took turns negotiating away the futures of the people living between Russia and Germany/W Europe didn’t go so hot.

Don’t be one of the people trying to reboot it into “pragmatism” when it is monstrous.

If you argue for equal rights and freedoms and opportunities for every American, you should be able to support the same for other in other nations fighting for it.

Literally fighting for it — and to protect us and what we have, over here across this big safe ocean.

If you want to know why Ukraine has earned the right to seek to be in NATO and to have that door open when they come — study the Holodomor, when Stalin starved Ukraine as a tool of internal control, and millions died.

Read 8 tweets

Molly McKew

@MollyMcKew

Jan 28

Before Russia invaded Georgia, the Kremlin found a lot of ways to seed the narrative that the war was because Saakashvili was annoying & didn’t listen to the West.

The 2022 reboot is that the war is because Zelensky is annoying & doesn’t listen.

The war is because of Russia. /1

A lot of effort is being made to create division — or the perception of division that will become real division — between the Ukrainian leadership and the allies it needs now, especially in the White House. /2

I’m sure there’s lots to say about Zelensky’s ZFG style

But he has been clear about what Ukraine needs

None of this is about him

It is about what the Kremlin sees as an opportunity to get this White House to pressure Zelensky to make the concessions Russia needs in Ukraine /3

Read 6 tweets

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