178. The Plot to Destroy Russia’s Gas Empire (Ep 2)
Summary
Hosts Gordon and David are joined by Bojan Pancevski to discuss his book on the Nord Stream sabotage. They detail how Ukrainian intelligence recruited civilian deep-sea divers to plant explosives, bypassing a rejected, costly CIA proposal. The episode covers the operation's execution, the CIA’s attempt to stop it after a Dutch leak, and the subsequent German investigation that identified Ukraine’s role.
Topics discussed
Introduction and sponsor message
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CIA involvement and Ukrainian special services
Recruiting civilian tech divers for the mission
The female diver and mission execution details
Dutch intelligence discovery and CIA opposition
Tradecraft: Fake IDs, yacht, and cover stories
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Why Russia was blamed and the simplicity of the device
German investigation and arrest of Ukrainian officer
Future of shadow warfare and closing remarks
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