Exxon Mobil senior executive Neil Chapman held secret talks with Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin in Doha, Qatar, regarding Exxon’s potential return to the massive Sakhalin-1 oil development project in Russia. The negotiations occurred despite Rosneft being under U.S. sanctions for Russia’s war …
Trump announced plans to sign an executive order ending mail-in voting and targeting voting machines for the 2026 midterms, citing Vladimir Putin’s claim that postal ballots ‘rigged’ the 2020 election. Trump told Fox News that Putin said during their Alaska summit ‘Your …
Donald TrumpVladimir PutinWhite Houseinstitutional-capturevoter-suppressionforeign-influence
Alnur Mussayev, ex-chief of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee, alleged that Vladimir Putin possesses comprehensive kompromat files on Donald Trump, including potential evidence of sexual crimes, financial misconduct, and connections to Jeffrey Epstein’s network. Mussayev claims …
Alnur Mussayev, former chief of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee, alleged that Vladimir Putin possesses comprehensive kompromat files on Donald Trump, linking Trump to the Epstein network. Mussayev claims the FSB holds materials documenting financial transactions, sexual crimes, and …
Alnur MussayevVladimir PutinDonald TrumpJeffrey EpsteinKazakhstan intelligencevladimir-putindonald-trumpjeffrey-epsteinkompromatalnur-mussayev+6 more
As part of complex 2025 diplomatic negotiations, the Kremlin reportedly considered offering Trump a 150-story Moscow skyscraper to entice him into restoring US-Russia relations, revealing the intricate and potentially compromising nature of international diplomacy
Donald TrumpVladimir PutinTrump Administrationmedia-controldiplomatic-relationsrussia-us-relations
Multiple Pulitzer Prize-winning investigations in 2025 documented systematic kleptocratic patterns. Reuters won for “boldly reported exposé” of systematic regulatory failures enabling widespread corruption. Wall Street Journal’s national reporting prize covered Elon Musk’s …
ReutersWall Street JournalBoston GlobeOrganized Crime and Corruption Reporting ProjectElon Musk+1 morepulitzer-prizeinvestigative-journalismcorruption-exposedregulatory-capturemusk-putin+2 more
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on September 4, 2024 that the Justice Department seized 32 internet domains used in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns known as “Doppelganger.” The operation, established in 2022 by Russian IT firm Social Design …
Department of JusticeMerrick GarlandSergei KiriyenkoVladimir PutinSocial Design Agency+2 moredoppelgangerrussian-disinformationfake-news-sitesdomain-seizures2024-election+2 more
In February 2024, Ukrainian military intelligence confirmed that Russian forces were systematically using Starlink satellite internet terminals on the front lines in Ukraine, acquired through complex international intermediary networks. Despite SpaceX’s claims of non-involvement, Russian …
Wall Street Journal reports Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin since late 2022, with conversations covering “personal topics, business and geopolitical tensions,” while holding top-secret clearance for SpaceX contracts.
Elon Musk began regular direct communication with Vladimir Putin while controlling critical US infrastructure through SpaceX and Starlink, creating unprecedented foreign influence over defense and communications systems.
In January 2022, Peter Thiel receives a second documented invitation to meet privately with Vladimir Putin, this time through Russian diplomat Daniil Bisslinger. The invitation came amid rising tensions before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, demonstrating persistent Russian intelligence …
Peter ThielVladimir PutinDaniil BisslingerChristian AngermayerRussian diplomatsthiel-targetingputin-outreachsilicon-valley-recruitmentongoing-operationscounterintelligence+1 more
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny released a comprehensive investigation exposing a $1.35 billion palace complex allegedly owned by Vladimir Putin on the Black Sea. The investigation, titled ‘Putin’s Palace: History of World’s Largest Bribe,’ revealed a 17,691 square …
Vladimir PutinAlexei NavalnyArkady RotenbergBoris RotenbergGennady Timchenko+3 morecorruptionrussiaputinnavalnyinvestigation+4 more
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny released a detailed investigation exposing a lavish palace complex on the Black Sea allegedly built for Vladimir Putin. The investigation, titled ‘Putin’s Palace: History of World’s Largest Bribe,’ detailed a $1.35 billion estate …
Vladimir PutinAlexei NavalnyArkady RotenbergBoris RotenbergGennady Timchenko+1 morecorruptionrussiaputinnavalnyinvestigation+3 more
President Trump announced via Twitter on July 28, 2019, that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats would resign effective August 15, ending a tumultuous two-year tenure marked by fundamental conflicts over Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and ongoing threats to American …
Dan CoatsDonald TrumpJohn RatcliffeVladimir PutinInspector GeneralWhistleblower RetaliationObstruction of JusticeAccountability CrisisIntelligence Community+1 more
In a rare moment of unanimous Senate action, lawmakers voted 98-0 to approve a resolution rejecting Vladimir Putin’s proposal to interrogate U.S. officials—a direct and powerful rebuke of President Trump’s consideration of the Russian offer during the Helsinki summit. The vote …
Vladimir PutinDonald TrumpChuck SchumerMichael McFaulBill Browderrussiatrumphelsinkisenateputin+1 more
One day after facing fierce bipartisan condemnation for siding with Vladimir Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies, President Donald Trump attempted damage control with an implausible claim that he had simply misspoken a single word during the Helsinki press conference. The walkback was widely …
Donald TrumpVladimir Putinrussiatrumphelsinkielection-interferenceintelligence-agencies
In one of the most shocking moments in modern American presidential history, President Donald Trump publicly sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin over his own intelligence agencies during a joint press conference in Helsinki, Finland. Standing next to Putin before a global audience, Trump …
Donald TrumpVladimir PutinDan CoatsJohn BrennanJohn McCainrussiatrumpintelligence-agencieselection-interferencehelsinki
At a lavish birthday celebration in Vienna, Russian diplomat Daniil Bisslinger, an attaché from the Kremlin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, invited Peter Thiel to a private meeting with Vladimir Putin at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The invitation, later reported to the FBI, …
Peter ThielVladimir PutinDaniil BisslingerChristian AngermayerFBIthiel-putinrussian-recruitmentfbi-informantsilicon-valley-targetingcounterintelligence
Peter Thiel’s complex intelligence role emerged in 2018, with documented Russian diplomatic attempts to recruit him. While he formally became an FBI informant with the codename “Philosopher” in 2021, his early interactions with Russian diplomats like Daniil Bisslinger were …
Peter ThielFBIVladimir PutinDaniil BisslingerJohnathan Buma+1 morefbi-informantrussian-recruitmentcounterintelligencethiel-networksilicon-valley-intelligence
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) revealed through the Paradise Papers investigation that U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur L. Ross Jr. maintained a stake in Navigator Holdings, a shipping firm that received millions of dollars annually from a Russian gas company whose …
Wilbur RossKirill ShamalovGennady TimchenkoVladimir PutinCabinet CorruptionEthics ViolationsWilbur RossRussiaParadise Papers+1 more
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released the Paradise Papers, a massive leak of 13.4 million confidential documents revealing extensive offshore financial activities of global elites. The investigation exposed how powerful individuals and corporations systematically …
ApplebyEsteraQueen Elizabeth IIWilbur RossVladimir Putin+4 moreparadise-papersoffshore-financetax-havensoligarchsfinancial-manipulation+1 more
On April 6, 2017, President Trump ordered the first direct U.S. military action against the Assad regime—launching 59 Tomahawk missiles at Shayrat air base in Syria—from his private Mar-a-Lago club while hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state dinner. At approximately 8:40 PM, as Trump and …
Donald TrumpXi JinpingBashar al-AssadRex TillersonVladimir Putinmar-a-lagomilitary-actionsyriaconflicts-of-interestemoluments+1 more
Rex Tillerson, former ExxonMobil CEO who received Putin’s Order of Friendship for Russian energy deals and maintained 45 million in oil investments, became Secretary of State despite unprecedented opposition. Tillerson had negotiated a 00 billion Arctic drilling deal with Russia’s …
Rex TillersonExxonMobilVladimir PutinDonald TrumpState Departmentoil-industryrussia-connectionsregulatory-captureforeign-influenceinstitutional-destruction
Rex Tillerson, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, faced aggressive Senate questioning about massive conflicts of interest stemming from his 41-year career at ExxonMobil, particularly the company’s extensive Russia dealings and opposition to sanctions. Tillerson had served as …
Rex TillersonDonald TrumpIgor SechinVladimir PutinExxonMobil+1 moreconflicts-of-interestrussia-connectionssanctions-violationsstate-capturefossil-fuel-industry
On January 6, 2017, the U.S. Intelligence Community released a comprehensive assessment concluding that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered an extensive influence campaign aimed at undermining the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA), titled …
Vladimir PutinCIAFBINSADonald Trump+2 moreRussia InterferenceIntelligence CommunityElection SecurityPutinForeign Interference+1 more
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released the Panama Papers, a collection of 11.5 million leaked documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. The documents revealed how wealthy individuals and public officials used offshore shell companies to hide assets …
International Consortium of Investigative JournalistsMossack FonsecaVladimir PutinPetro PoroshenkoNawaz Sharif+3 morecorruptionoffshore-financemoney-launderingtax-evasionleaks+2 more
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published the Panama Papers, revealing how Mossack Fonseca helped wealthy individuals and public officials hide assets in offshore shell companies. The leak exposed over 214,000 offshore entities and implicated 12 current and former world …
The Panama Papers was a groundbreaking investigative journalism project coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in 2016. Based on 11.5 million leaked documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm, the investigation exposed a complex global network of …
Mossack FonsecaVladimir PutinPetro PoroshenkoNawaz SharifKing Salman+3 morepanama-papersoffshore-financetax-avoidanceshell-companiesinvestigative-journalism+1 more
In late 2016, Deutsche Bank’s internal anti-money laundering specialists flagged multiple suspicious transactions involving Trump businesses and Russian individuals, with the bank simultaneously continuing to loan Trump billions while being implicated in a $10 billion Russian money-laundering …
Deutsche BankDonald TrumpJared KushnerRussian money launderersVladimir Putin+1 moredeutsche-bankmoney-launderingsuspicious-transactionsrussian-financetrump-finances+1 more
Trump personally signed Letter of Intent for Trump Tower Moscow project valued at over $1 billion while publicly denying Russian business dealings during campaign. Michael Cohen told Mueller investigators that Trump viewed his campaign as a significant “infomercial” for Trump-branded …
Donald TrumpMichael CohenFelix SaterVTB GroupYevgeny Dvoskin+1 moretrump-tower-moscowforeign-influencecampaign-financemonetizationrussian-connections+1 more
On July 11, 2015, at the FreedomFest libertarian conference in Las Vegas, Russian intelligence operative Maria Butina publicly questioned presidential candidate Donald Trump about US sanctions on Russia. Trump responded that he knew Putin and believed they would “get along very nicely” …
Maria ButinaDonald TrumpAlexander TorshinVladimir Putinmaria-butinatrumprussiasanctions2016-election+3 more
President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty formally incorporating Crimea into the Russian Federation on March 18, 2014, following a disputed referendum held under Russian military occupation. The annexation, which involved unmarked armed forces seizing key infrastructure and a controversial referendum …
Vladimir PutinSergey AksyonovRussian FederationRepublic of Crimeaterritorial-expansionsanctionsinternational-lawcrimeaputin+1 more
President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty formally incorporating Crimea into the Russian Federation, following a disputed referendum held under Russian military occupation. The annexation was widely condemned by the international community and led to the first wave of sanctions against Russian …
Vladimir PutinSergey AksyonovRussian FederationRepublic of Crimeaterritorial-expansionsanctionsinternational-lawcrimea
President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty formally incorporating Crimea into the Russian Federation, following a disputed referendum held under Russian military occupation. The international community widely condemned the annexation as a violation of international law, including the UN Charter, the …
Vladimir PutinSergey AksyonovRussian Federationterritorial-expansionsanctionsinternational-lawcrimeaun-resolution
President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty formally incorporating Crimea into the Russian Federation following a disputed referendum held under Russian military occupation. Putin claimed Crimea was ‘an inseparable part of Russia’, dismissing international condemnation. The annexation was …
Vladimir PutinSergey AksyonovJoe BidenAngela MerkelWilliam Hague+2 moreterritorial-expansionsanctionsinternational-lawcrimeaputin-aggression+1 more
Vladimir Putin orchestrated the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, gaining control over strategic Black Sea naval bases and significant energy resources. This action involved the deployment of unmarked Russian forces, a disputed referendum, and the subsequent integration of Crimean assets into …
Vladimir PutinSergey AksyonovViktor YanukovychSergey LavrovDmitry Kozakrussiaukraineannexationputincrimea+2 more
Vladimir Putin orchestrated the illegal annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, violating international law and multiple treaties. The operation involved deploying unmarked Russian special forces, conducting a disputed referendum, and subsequently integrating Crimean territories into Russian control. The …
Vladimir PutinSergey AksyonovViktor YanukovychSergey LavrovDmitry Kozakrussiaukraineannexationputincrimea+3 more
On November 9, 2013, Donald Trump brought the Miss Universe pageant to Moscow, held at Crocus City Hall owned by Aras Agalarov—a Russian billionaire known as “Putin’s Builder” with close Kremlin ties. During the event, Trump pursued meetings with Vladimir Putin (who sent a gift via …
Donald TrumpAras AgalarovEmin AgalarovVladimir PutinTrump Organizationtrumprussiaputinagalarovtrump-tower-moscow+3 more
After spending 39 days confined to the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport, Edward Snowden was granted temporary asylum in Russia for one year on August 1, 2013. Russian authorities had restricted Snowden to the airport terminal after observing that U.S. authorities had …
Edward SnowdenRussiaVladimir PutinAnatoly KucherenaSarah Harrisonedward-snowdenasylumrussiainternational-relationsdiplomatic-crisis
Putin’s government arrested Vladimir Gusinsky, owner of Media-Most and Russia’s largest independent television network, on alleged fraud charges. The arrest was widely seen as a politically motivated attempt to silence critical media, marking an early example of Putin’s systematic …
Vladimir GusinskyVladimir PutinMedia-Mostmedia-controloligarchsarrestspress-freedomrussia-putin+1 more
Vladimir Putin was appointed Prime Minister by Boris Yeltsin on August 9, 1999, marking a pivotal moment in Russia’s political transformation. At the time virtually unknown to the public, Putin was strategically positioned as Yeltsin’s potential successor. His appointment was part of a …
Vladimir PutinBoris Yeltsinputinpower-consolidationappointmentrussiapolitical-succession
In May 1990, Vladimir Putin transitioned from active KGB service to local government, becoming an international affairs advisor to St. Petersburg Mayor Anatoly Sobchak. This pivotal moment marked a complex personnel migration from intelligence services into emerging democratic administrative roles, …
Vladimir PutinAnatoly SobchakKGB PersonnelSt. Petersburg City Administrationputin-biographyinstitutional-transitionregulatory-capturepersonnel-migrationpost-soviet-russia