How @DarthPutinKGB uses the Russian diaspora abroad, playing on natural human vulnerabilities (thread) 1. Feelings of guilt. The idea that emigration to a “hostile” country is a betrayal has been gradually imparted by Russian propaganda. The Kremlin creates associations of compatriots who openly declare the goal of re-establishing communication with the “great motherland.” (2)

.@newrepublic released a piece on Butina, where she claims to be an idealistic girl vainly accused of espionage newrepublic.com/article/153036… … This isn't true @MattAsherS @DemWrite @Clara_Resists @propornot @DrDinD @PaulaChertok @SpyTalker @UmlandAndreas @IlvesToomas @john_sipher /1 1. She's not accused of espionage, she is accused of illegally lobbying the interests of Russia (acting as a foreign agent w/o registration), & she confessed to this even in an interview with The New Republic /2

It looks like Paul Whelan, arrested in Moscow, has an account Vkontakte, (network under the FSB control). He posts congratulations on Victory Day in Russian, glorifies Trump & Russian army. The video on his page is dedicated to the Russian Defender of Fatherland Day. Versions: /1 1. Maybe this is not his page, but then it means that someone was preparing a provocation against him for a very long time, before the Butina's case. This is unlikely. /2

@Clara_Resists @TheLoyalO @globaljourn Russia murders journalists & dissidents, including murders in Ukraine. Recently we heard about Babchenko who managed to escape, but there are other journalists who aren't so lucky. /1 @Clara_Resists @TheLoyalO @globaljourn My friend, Alexander Shchetinin (Sasha), founded a news agency for Russia, but later broke ties and re-registered it as Ukrainian business.
Russian special services couldn't forgive him for taking a large news agency away and exposing Russian agents of influence in Ukraine. /2

@Clara_Resists @TheLoyalO @DemWritePress @RFResistance @CaptainsLog2O18 @MarchForTruth17 @DefendDemocracy @ProudResister @RickSmithShow I grew up in the 90’s & Russia was very different. We had problems with corruption, lawlessness & abuse of power, but it was still free.
We learned about dissidents in school, but we were certain that it was only history @Clara_Resists @TheLoyalO @DemWritePress @RFResistance @CaptainsLog2O18 @MarchForTruth17 @DefendDemocracy @ProudResister @RickSmithShow When I was growing up, it was impossible to imagine that our gov't would repress ordinary people for something like posting on social media.
We had lots of hope that we could solve problems like corruption