There is a growing scandal surrounding a very strange story from a CIA spy, who allegedly worked in the Russian presidential administration. Whether this is a provocation, Whether it really was. The exact answer to the question has not yet given any Russian, neither the United States.
Special operation or journalistic stuffing?
Spy story began when, that the American TV channel CNN said, how in 2017 the US intelligence agencies conducted an operation to export from Russia of a whistleblower, who had direct access to the secrets of the Russian state in a position. At the same time, American journalists do not forget to add, that thanks to the information, obtained by this agent, Washington managed to establish a Russian intervention facts in the presidential elections in the US 2016 year.
Initially the spy's name was not called. US media, and then the media of other countries whirled spy story on the principle of the classic "Pulp Fiction". Exactly, by the way, dubbed it the press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov,. Information supplied in stages, as a series of detective series.
First TV channel reported from the Russian spy evacuation. Then it began to appear fragmentary information about the identity of the alleged spy. He allegedly worked in the Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin's administration and had access to the highest persons in our country guide. "Spy in the presidential administration" - that could be called the second series of criminal drama from CNN. And soon it appeared in the media, and the name of the alleged spy - Oleg Smolenkov.
In June 2017 , Oleg Smolenkov, his wife Antonina, worked, by the way, not anywhere, and the Government of the Russian Federation, as well as three children, We went on holiday in Montenegro. Most of these people never seen.
The assumption, that could be a spy Oleg Smolenkov, by the way, They began to make Russian journalists. After all, only one high-ranking official in the 2017 was gone out of the country together with his family, and no one no longer seen - it was Oleg Smolenkov.
Soon, Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed - Oleg Smolenkov did a few years ago, he worked in the presidential administration. true, position and specific responsibilities Smolenkova Peskov did not disclose, but he stressed, that by virtue of his official position Oleg Smolenkov not had the opportunity of direct contact with the head of the Russian state and other top officials of our country.
Mysterious Mansion in Virginia
Following the revelations made to CNN and NBC television channel. he reported, Oleg Smolenkov his family live in an affluent mansion, guarded by US intelligence agencies.
5 June 2018 year Smolenkov allegedly acquired its name mansion in Stafford, Virginia. The cost of houses is estimated at 925 one thousand dollars, area is 760 square meters, and the area - 1,2 ha. The house Smolenkova - six bedrooms and six bathrooms.
If this is true, the good US intelligence paid to his agent for the supplied information. NBC journalists allegedly tried to find out, whether in a mansion inhabited by Mr. and Mrs. Smolenkovy.
But as soon as the film crew appeared at the villa, the car came to the house with tinted windows. Left out of the jeep, two men claimed, that they are the masters of the house and as it is privately owned facility, nothing can be removed. Journalists have emphasized that, that these cars use the operational staff of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In the press there were photos and mansion, allegedly used a former Russian official. View, of course, luxurious. But you can take a picture of any house, owned by any person. There is no evidence, it belongs to the family of Smolenkovyh, and indeed it has some relation to the American secret services.
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In its turn, President Donald Trump asked by reporters about the history of the mysterious spy, He stated, that he was about Smolenkove unknown and he is not aware of the information in, announced by CNN. Thereby, Trump actually took the side of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which flatly denied the story, calling it propaganda "fakie" American journalists.
Who you are, Mr. Smolenkov?
Oleg Smolenkov really gone in 2017 year. Prior to that, he worked in the Russian Federation Presidential Administration, where, as it appears, He came for his former boss, Yuri Ushakov (photo).
At the time, Yuri Ushakov was Russian ambassador to the US. This important post career diplomat Ushakov occupied for ten years - 1998 by 2008 years, and his diplomatic career began nearly fifty years ago - in 1970 year, when after the Moscow State Institute went to work in the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was assigned to the Soviet Embassy in Denmark.
Oleg himself was born in Smolenkov 1969 in Ivanovo. In the apparatus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation he was in the late 1990s, He made a good career, went abroad - in the United States.
Smolenkov worked in the Russian Embassy in Washington for the positions of the second secretary of the embassy. AT 2010 year Smolenkov (photo) I received a class rank of State Councilor of the third class (It corresponds to the military rank of Major-General).
Smolenkov of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs went to the Russian Government, which was transferred to the position of the US Deputy Chief of Staff of the Government of his boss at the Embassy Yuri Ushakov. The government apparatus Smolenkov worked as a chief advisor, and then the referent of the government apparatus.
After, how in 2012 , Yuri Ushakov moved to the presidential administration, She was appointed as assistant to the president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on foreign policy issues, the government moved to the presidential administration and Oleg Smolenkov.
Oleg Smolenkova wife Antonina at the time of the disappearance was on maternity leave. Into the disappearance of the Russian prosecutor's office official family was a criminal case. But no trace of Smolenkova, his wife and children to discover the Russian law enforcement agencies failed.
As for living in the United States Smolenkovyh, then if they really, they will not be required to change their names and. As the history of "spy" of relations between Russia and the West, since the postwar period the USSR, and then Russia would not take any aggressive action against former spies and deserters, left our country and settled in the West. This same rule is observed, and US intelligence agencies. Therefore Smolenkovym, if they really, not be required to hide and what to be afraid of in the United States.
But for emergency evacuation Smolenkova and its founding family really could be. If the agent itself or its curators have concerns, that he is on the verge of collapse, It might have decided to take him to a safe place, that is, in the United States itself. by the way, likely, and recruited the man could be at work in the US.
That could transmit a spy US intelligence agencies
Western media say, Oleg Smolenkov passed on information about interference in Russia's presidential elections in the US. obviously, that the West is still very sensitive about the victory of Donald Trump's presidential election and tries to discover more and more new ways to make intervention in Russia in the race.
but Smolenkov, if he would have cooperated with US intelligence, I could hardly pass some valuable information. The thing is, that he was involved in the presidential administration, as it appears, more financial and technical issues - travel arrangements, special missions guide. I.e, in fact, It was "tylovikov", which did not have any "cool" information.
by the way, themselves publication US media devoted less Smolenkovu as a scout and not so much the information supplied, as proof of another "fact" foreign intervention in US elections. Smolenkov in this case - just another cog in the propaganda mechanism, calculated purely on the domestic audience and directed against the President of the United States, Donald Trump, in order to prevent him win the upcoming presidential elections and again take a seat in the White House.
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But US intelligence, of course, even the fact of recruiting a senior official of that rank, even if not to communicate in person with the president, but working in his administration, a great victory. It shows, that the CIA knowingly receiving money put. Therefore Smolenkova might not splurge after his move to America, providing quality housing, large allowance and, probably, dust-free work.
Professor Joseph Fitsanakis, Deputy Director of the European Academy of the intelligence services, considers, that in the case of Smolenkovym CIA might just fulfill all its promises, that it gives the agents in recruiting. They are really very well provide materially, it is no surprise, Smolenkovy that reside in this mansion. Finally, not for a room in a slum, he would have refused a brilliant career in the presidential administration.
What is the real problem
Actually, if we talk specifically about Smolenkove, that some top-secret information to the United States to pass he simply could not. But you can be sure, that Smolenkov, if it really worked for the CIA, - is not the most senior and certainly not the only American spy in the Russian state authorities.
In the 1990s,, when the US and Russia relations reminiscent of the relationship rather chuck his vassal, Many Russian diplomats, officials and even intelligence officers were trained in the US, We worked closely with US government agencies in their job duties,.
Could recruit many, including those, who for the last twenty - twenty-five years has made a great career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in the presidential administration, and the Ministry of Defense, and the Foreign Intelligence Service. It would be naive to assume, In these and other responsible departments no American spies.
Therefore, for modern Russia, to ensure that its national security is of particular interest in the identification and disclosure of existing spy networks, including those agents, that have access to this secret information.
Ilya Polonsky
