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
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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.
