Active Measures 2018

The curtain lifts on “Active Measures,” a documentary that delves into the enigmatic persona of Vladimir Putin, Russia’s enigmatic leader. Filmmaker Jack Bryan sets the stage by tracing Putin’s tumultuous past, where the seeds of his future were sown in a dramatic tale of his father’s heroism. It was an act of pure chance that saved Putin’s mother from certain death on the battlefield, as her husband, Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin, stumbled upon her lifeless body amidst a sea of corpses. This fateful moment would shape Putin’s worldview and instill a sense of responsibility to safeguard his nation.

As Hillary Clinton so astutely observes, “Putin sees himself as literally pulling the body of Russia out of the pile - the dust pin of history.” This sentiment is woven into the very fabric of Putin’s ideology, where he views himself as a guardian angel, tasked with reviving a nation from the depths of despair. The film then embarks on an in-depth exploration of Putin’s formative years within the KGB, where his career took off at the tender age of 22.

Through Putin’s own accounts and biographic information, we are given the impression that he spent his days collecting press clippings as a translator in Leningrad and Dresden. However, “Active Measures” reveals this to be nothing more than a carefully crafted cover story. In reality, Putin played a pivotal role in protecting deep-cover Russian spies living under assumed identities within the United States, while also working to develop active measures aimed at influencing US policymaking.

The documentary lifts the veil on some of these covert operatives, including Jack Barsky, Andrew Daulton Lee, and Karl Koecher. As we delve deeper into the world of espionage and intrigue, it becomes clear that Putin’s formative years in the KGB laid the groundwork for his future endeavors as a master manipulator of international politics. The film’s narrative unfolds like a tantalizing puzzle, slowly revealing the intricacies of Putin’s character and the machinations of Russian intelligence committees.

As Putin’s political career takes its first steps in St. Petersburg, a city teeming with organized crime and corruption, he forges alliances with former KGB operatives, foreign economic interests, and local power brokers. Behind-the-scenes footage suggests that this era saw an unprecedented level of criminal syndicates colluding with corrupt state officials to exploit the city’s residents. The film also delves into allegations surrounding the September 1999 apartment bombings, which some believe were false flag operations orchestrated by the FSB, Putin’s former employer, to boost his chances in the upcoming presidential election. An investigation reveals evidence of FSB presence at the blast sites and proprietary Kremlin explosives, raising suspicions about the true motives behind these devastating events.

The documentary then shifts its focus to Putin’s presidency, where he wages a campaign against democracy, independent voices within Russia, and dissenters who dare to challenge his authority. His crackdown on oligarchs, who had amassed vast wealth by exploiting devalued Russian infrastructure and state-owned enterprises, is also scrutinized. Many of these oligarchs would eventually be forced into exile, eliminated under mysterious circumstances, or reduced to mere puppets in Putin’s administration.

The film then probes the intricate network of former intelligence officials that Putin surrounds himself with, including key players like Dmitry Medvedev, Aras Agalarov, and Igor Sechin. This inner circle allows Putin to exert complete control over oligarch assets, further solidifying his grip on Russian wealth.

As the documentary delves deeper into Putin’s kleptocratic tendencies, it reveals how he utilizes intermediary banks to launder money generated from Russian assets and smuggle it into Western accounts with the assistance of notorious crime boss Semion Mogilevich. This labyrinthine financial network enables Putin to siphon off Russia’s wealth and hide his ill-gotten gains.

The film then turns its attention to Donald Trump, a real estate mogul struggling to stay afloat amidst a string of failed business ventures throughout the 1990s. The documentary presents theories suggesting that Trump’s Manhattan skyscraper and Atlantic City casino were hotbeds of money laundering due to their ability to facilitate anonymous transactions through shell companies. Furthermore, it establishes strong links between Trump and the Mogilevich crime family, despite Trump’s denials on the matter.

As Putin’s first term gives way to his second, the Russian president unleashes a series of aggressive moves that would have far-reaching consequences. Toomás Hendrik Ilves, Estonia’s former leader, shares a chilling tale of May 2007, when Russia launched a devastating cyberattack on his country in response to the controversy surrounding a Soviet-era monument. The attack brought the entire nation to a standstill, silencing both personal and commercial internet connections for an entire day. This brazen display of technological prowess was merely a precursor to Putin’s next move.

Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia’s former president, reveals that Russia’s 2008 invasion of his country was a direct response to Georgia’s aspirations to join the European Union and NATO. Despite Russia’s attempts to spin the conflict through controlled opposition and propaganda aimed at Western audiences, the truth remained clear: Putin had chosen war over diplomacy. The humiliating defeat in Georgia marked a turning point for Putin, who redirected Russia’s focus towards its security services and political warfare.

Putin’s next move was to fund far-right nationalist parties across Europe, including those in Belarus, France, Hungary, Slovakia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Through these proxy organizations, Russia sought to exert influence over governments and shape policy decisions in line with its own interests. This strategy also saw Russia employ foreign business ventures as pawns in its game of political manipulation.

In 2012, Putin’s machinations took a dramatic turn when he backed Bidzina Ivanishvili, a Russian oligarch, to challenge Saakashvili in Georgia’s parliamentary election. A well-coordinated disinformation campaign was launched against Saakashvili, spreading false claims that he had lied about his nationality, was a drug addict, and had provoked war with South Ossetia. The campaign even fabricated the Gldani prison scandal, a baseless accusation designed to discredit Saakashvili and secure Ivanishvili’s victory. As a result of this manipulation, Saakashvili faces certain death if he ever returns to Georgia, his reputation forever tainted by Putin’s ruthless tactics.

As the narrative unfolds, it becomes evident that Ukraine’s economic reliance on Russia is merely a symptom of a far more insidious problem. The country’s economy is heavily influenced by intermediary companies controlled by Ukrainian/Russian oligarch Dimitry Firtash, whose ties to the Mogilevich crime family and Paul Manafort, Trump’s 2016 campaign chairman, are eerily reminiscent of a complex web of corruption. The film draws striking parallels between the disinformation campaigns waged against Yulia Tymoshenko in the 2010 Ukrainian Election and Mikheil Saakashvili in 2012; Russian journalists’ unfounded claims about Tymoshenko’s supposed Armenian and Jewish origins served as the catalyst for Viktor Yanukovych’s election victory, which was subsequently followed by the indictment of Tymoshenko on charges of abusing her power to initiate a lucrative raw gas deal. Meanwhile, Paul Manafort’s involvement in Ukraine-Russian Energy Trade fraud, racketeering, and money laundering with Firtash, Mogilevich, and Oleg Deripaska came to light in 2011 court documents, coinciding with his securing of residency at the Trump Tower. This intricate dance of corruption has far-reaching implications, illuminating a dark underbelly that threatens to undermine the very fabric of Ukraine’s political landscape.

As the lens pans out, the film delves into the intricacies of Russia’s covert operations, meticulously dissecting the country’s three primary methods of active measures: propaganda, cyber attacks, and espionage. According to former Central Intelligence Director James Woolsey (James Woolsey), it’s estimated that at least a thousand deep-cover Russian intelligence officers are currently embedded within the United States. The FBI’s surveillance footage reveals dozens of Russian spies operating undetected across the country.

However, CIA Chief of Russia Operations Steven Hall notes that the resources allocated to the FBI are woefully inadequate to effectively monitor these Russian operatives consistently. It was against this backdrop that the US commissioned former MI6 Russian Specialist Christopher Steele (Christopher Steele) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into Trump-Russia ties, just a year after he had exposed the FIFA Official Chuck Blazer’s embezzlement scandal.

The resulting dossier painted a stark picture of a deep-seated connection between Donald Trump and Russia, suggesting that the latter had been supporting the former for over five years. The film takes a moment to scrutinize the credibility of Steele’s findings, highlighting three distinct categories: claims yet to be proven, verifiable facts, and allegations clouded by errors in translation or transliteration.

Meanwhile, Christopher Steele’s own backstory serves as a poignant reminder of the high stakes involved. As the handler for Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko (Alexander Litvinenko), an MI6 agent who had spent years uncovering links between Putin and Mogilevich, Steele gained unparalleled insight into Russia’s organized crime networks. This expertise was tragically tempered by Litvinenko’s assassination via poisoning, but not before he passed on his vast knowledge to Steele.

The intricate web of relationships between Donald Trump and Deutsche Bank is meticulously examined, revealing a complex tapestry of financial transactions, personal connections, and international intrigue. It all began in 2004 when Trump, seeking financing for his business ventures, turned to Deutsche Bank, marking the start of a tumultuous partnership that would prove to be both profitable and problematic for the bank. Despite defaulting on a $40 million loan, threatening legal action, and publicly criticizing the institution’s lending practices, Trump continued to secure loans from Deutsche Bank, including one extended to his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

As the relationship between Trump and Deutsche Bank deepened, so did the bank’s ties to Russian money laundering. The scandal surrounding these activities ultimately led to the resignation of Deutsche Bank’s CEO, who would go on to assume a similar position at the Bank of Cyprus, a institution known for its involvement in Russian financial machinations. Wilbur Ross, a Trump supporter and later Secretary of Commerce, was allegedly instrumental in securing this new role.

Trump himself played a key role in facilitating this transition, reportedly earning compensation for his efforts when Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev purchased one of his estates at nearly twice the original price. This transaction served as a harbinger of things to come, as Trump’s connections to Russian interests would only continue to grow stronger.

In 2013, a major gambling ring allegedly run by Russian mob boss “Taiwanchic” was busted within the walls of Trump Tower. Although Taiwanchic and his co-conspirators were indicted, the notorious crime lord managed to flee to Russia, where he would later appear at Trump’s Miss Universe pageant alongside Russian oligarch Aras Agalarov.

Just a few months later, in November 2013, Trump hosted another Miss Universe Pageant in Moscow, an event that brought together many of Russia’s most influential business leaders and oligarchs. It was during this visit that Trump co-hosted Agalarov’s birthday party, marking the beginning of a series of high-profile interactions between the two men.

It is alleged that Russian intelligence operatives took advantage of these encounters to gather compromising material on Trump, which would later be used to exert pressure over him. The stakes were elevated when Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych visited Moscow just ten days after the Miss Universe Pageant and abruptly withdrew his country’s association agreement with the European Union, sparking widespread protests in Kiev.

As the Euromaidan movement gained momentum, Yanukovych signed a treaty and secured a multibillion-dollar loan from Russia before fleeing to Moscow, where he would seek asylum. The political landscape had shifted dramatically, paving the way for Yulia Tymoshenko’s eventual release from imprisonment after years of detention.

As the camera pans across archival footage, Donald Trump (in his own words) reveals a disturbing propensity for embracing and amplifying talking points from Russia Today (RT), the Kremlin’s preferred mouthpiece. During one particularly egregious exchange, he hesitates when confronted about the downing of MH17 by Russian-backed separatists, instead choosing to question the very legitimacy of Moscow’s involvement. This penchant for peddling dubious information is mirrored in his comments on President Obama’s birth certificate, where he regurgitates the baseless conspiracy theories promulgated by activist Orly Taitz in a prior RT interview.

Trump’s verbal missteps are further underscored when discussing John McCain’s military service, with the then-candidate curiously aligning himself with Vladimir Putin’s assessment that the Arizona senator was not a genuine war hero. The film also delves into the controversy surrounding Trump’s campaign speeches, which were allegedly crafted by Russian propagandists. A series of disturbing examples demonstrate his predilection for anti-union and anti-American rhetoric, further fueling concerns about the potential influence of foreign forces on American politics.

Fast-forward to March 2016, when John Podesta’s email account is compromised via a cleverly designed phishing scam. To deflect criticism, Podesta blames an unspecified Clinton campaign staffer, unwittingly perpetuating the narrative that his team was either complicit or incompetent in the breach. The fallout from this cyberattack is swift and severe, with the subsequent release of hacked DNC emails revealing a blatant lack of fairness and transparency in the organization’s dealings.

As the months unfold, WikiLeaks publishes over 20,000 Clinton emails obtained from a compromised DNC server, which was infiltrated by two Russian-backed hacking groups: Fancy Bear and Cozy Bear. The leaked communications expose a deeply troubling atmosphere of favoritism within the party, further eroding Clinton’s credibility as a candidate.

Meanwhile, Russian intelligence operatives exploit social media platforms to nurture and disseminate conspiracy theories about the entire Democratic Party, including the notorious Pizzagate and Seth Rich fabrications. The film also sheds light on the targeted demographical manipulation of Bernie Sanders supporters, convincing them to abandon their candidate and support Trump instead.

Alarmingly, US voter databases in over 26 states are confirmed to have been compromised during the election, leaving the integrity of the democratic process hanging precariously in the balance. As the film’s closing arguments make clear, Russian active measures continue to pose a significant threat to American democracy, with the potential for ongoing manipulation and subterfuge remaining an ever-present concern.