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@MarkUrban01

writer, Diplomatic Editor - views here own, author of Big Boys Rules, Rifles, Generals, Task Force Black, The Tank War & The Edge, trustee

London (usually)
bbc.co.uk/markurban
Joined May 2013
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  1. 7 hours ago

    Bad tag, apologies, I meant conference in Lausanne in March 2017

    1 reply 6 retweets 8 likes
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  2. Retweeted
    14 hours ago

    Listen to my radio piece on Marie Colvin documentary - go 39'30" in. It's followed by interesting discussion with journalists Jacki Davis and

    6 retweets 9 likes
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  3. Retweeted
    11 hours ago
    Replying to

    The two 'WADA guys' were the same that were extradited by the Netherlands this spring, Swiss media have reported. They were reportedly planning to hack the Spiez NBC lab, were Salisbury samples were investigated for the OPCW.

    2 replies 4 retweets 9 likes
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  4. 15 hours ago

    Although 'Petrov & Boshirov' travelled a few times to Switzerland late last year and had their 'sports nutrition' cover, I'm hearing they were NOT connected with the Russian operation against WADA and the IOC

    10 replies 29 retweets 73 likes
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  5. 15 hours ago

    The Russians were apparently trying to bug or hack the conference as part of a long term operation against WADA and the Int Olympic Cttee as the latter moved to ban Russia from the winter Olympics. I understand this operation included people on the ground in Switzerland

    2 replies 63 retweets 86 likes
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  6. 15 hours ago

    So here's evidence of *another* Russian espionage operation: on Friday the Swiss Federal Prosecutors confirmed to me they are investigating Russians caught spying on conference in Lausanne in March 2017

    10 replies 186 retweets 269 likes
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  7. Sep 15

    So here's another sign that the 'Petrov & Boshirov' file is a gift to the UK police that's just going to keep on giving

    I called the phone number on this passport file of the poisoning suspect Alexander Petrov, that published and which says is a Russian Defense ministry number. Man who answered at 3am confirmed I had got through to the ministry.
    10 replies 52 retweets 76 likes
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  8. Sep 15

    Strewth! It's 120mm HESH (high explosive squash head) - threw a few of those into the breech of a Chieftain tank gun in my youth. Takes quite a lot to make one go off though...

    Some of you may have noticed part of Ewell Road cordoned off yesterday. To avoid further inconvenience, if you happen to find an Anti-Tank missile, please don't use it as a door-stop.
    4 replies 7 retweets 28 likes
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  9. Sep 15

    The GRU will watch them closely - for the possibility, however small, that one might defect, tell the bigger story. 'Petrov & Boshirov' said they want to fade into the background now. But in their shoes, I'd worry that disappearance might be permanent

    18 replies 35 retweets 124 likes
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  10. Sep 15

    With the images everywhere & Kremlin looking powerless, how long before someone posts online 'hey I was at school with that putz'. 'Petrov & Boshirovs' real names will soon be known & then maybe witness statements to police by Russians wanting to live in UK

    4 replies 22 retweets 65 likes
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  11. Sep 15

    With laughter echoing worldwide (incl on Russian social media) something more dangerous for the Kremlin happens too, digging that starts to expose the 'Petrov & Boshirov' passport history has clear intelligence service hallmarks

    1 reply 20 retweets 68 likes
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  12. Sep 15

    Seeing the way things were headed, the Kremlin decided to produce the two men, leading to their astonishing appearance on RT. History may record this as one of the biggest information warfare blunders ever

    3 replies 25 retweets 83 likes
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  13. Sep 15

    Straight away some independent Russian media started mining away, finding 'Petrov & Boshirovs' flight records and the suspiciously sequential passport numbers

    1 reply 16 retweets 46 likes
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  14. Sep 15

    Thread on 'Petrov & Boshirov': when the police named them on 5/9/18 as part of a witness appeal I had my doubts. Who on earth would come forward in Russia to do this? But it has proved a very deft move

    8 replies 166 retweets 202 likes
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  15. Retweeted
    Sep 14

    Major breaking news: has entered into a cooperation agreement with the US Justice Department in return for a number of charges being dropped. Question is has he now 'flipped'? And why now, and not before? And where does this leave ?

    62 replies 188 retweets 561 likes
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  16. Sep 14

    Russian artilleryfest from the exercises

    0:35
    "فوستوك-2018": نفذت طواقم هاوتزرات "مستا-بي" المقطورة ومنظومة "أكاتسيا" المدفعية الذاتية الحركة في ميدان تدريب تسوغول
    3 replies 2 retweets 10 likes
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  17. Sep 14

    . did a cracking interview - well worth listening to if you missed it

    ICYMI - this was an illuminating interview with RT editor who interviewed Skripal suspects - find the full interview on Newsnight on iPlayer, or highlights - with rather abrupt ending - here:
    4 replies 17 retweets 49 likes
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  18. Retweeted
    Sep 14

    Great scoop two suspected Russian spies carrying computer hacking gear reportedly arrested in The Hague earlier this year en route to accredited lab in Switzerland

    6 replies 64 retweets 52 likes
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  19. Retweeted
    Sep 12

    Today the Russian military took us to see its “biggest exercises since 1981”. This is what we saw at the Telemba training ground in Buryatia. Russian-Chinese joint drills tomorrow. Camera Producer

    40 replies 170 retweets 235 likes
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  20. Sep 13

    So it’s defiance for home consumption, can see that. But it also establishes: suspects are Russian & harboured in defiance of Interpol red notices; Putin, whether he ordered hit or not, is leading a deception plan; the men do as they’re told, appear on TV

    30 replies 52 retweets 91 likes
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