SpyTalk

Treachery

May 26, 2022

Former CIA officer talks about the search for a Russian mole within the CIA, while a diplomatic historian discusses Russia's blockade of Ukrainian wheat exports and its impact on food shortages. The podcast also explores espionage activities, the controversy surrounding a book about a suspected mole, and the need for rethinking food security policies.

46:29

Creator website

Episode guests

Robert Baer

Kelly McFarland

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict is causing a global food crisis, with Russia's blockade of Ukrainian wheat exports leading to skyrocketing prices and disrupted food shipments.

A secret mole hunting unit in the CIA identified three Russian moles in the past, but one mole still remains at large, highlighting the ongoing threat of Russian spies within the US intelligence community.

Deep dives

Russia's War in Ukraine and Food Insecurity

Russia's war in Ukraine is causing death, destruction, and increasing hunger. Russia's targeting of grain warehouses, theft of grain stocks, and blockading of grain shipments is having a profound impact on food supplies, particularly in fragile countries. Global wheat prices are skyrocketing, bread prices in Lebanon have increased, and food shipments from Odessa are being disrupted. Russia is also hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail or using them for political leverage. The emerging global food crisis requires attention from the intelligence community and policymakers.

Introduction

4min

Suspicions and Confessions

5min

The Search for a New Mission

15min

The Mole, Yeltsin, and Clinton

3min

The Fourth Man Controversy and Food Crisis

12min

Resilience, Redundancy, and the Role of Intelligence and Science

5min

The Dangerous Situation and Potential Ramifications

2min

Former CIA officer Robert Baer talks about the CIA’s unresolved search for another Russian mole in its ranks, while diplomatic historian Kelly McFarland addresses the ramifications of Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian wheat exports. With Jeff Stein and Jeanne Meserve.

Guests:

Robert Baer

Robert Baer: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks

Kelly McFarland

https://twitter.com/McFarlandKellyM

Sound Off - Supporting Veterans on Their Terms

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