Kevin Rothrock
Kevin RothrockThe Order of Lenin was the highest civilian award of the Soviet Union, but it was discontinued after the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. So, either Putin was being extra-extra symbolic, or CBS News got/reported some bad info. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/putin-award-order-of-lenin-american-ukraine/
Kevin RothrockLukashenko tells TIME’s Simon Shuster that Washington’s engagement with Moscow “could fall apart unless Trump behaves toward Putin with sufficient deference.” Shuster isn’t impressed; he says Batka is pitching the same approach that’s brought Trump no gains so far. https://time.com/7308021/lukashenko-belarus-minsk-backchannel-trump-putin/
Kevin RothrockDeripaska is suing journalists again, again coming at Tatyana Felgengauer for staging a less-than-flattering atmosphere when she retracted comments about the metal tycoon’s influence on Russian courts. Alas, it’s “would be funny if it weren’t so sad” territory. https://meduza.io/en/news/2025/08/08/billionaire-oleg-deripaska-sues-russian-journalist-after-court-ordered-on-air-retraction-and-a-cat-vomit-apology
Kevin RothrockTrump shares a video featuring Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev discussing why he hoped Trump would win the U.S. presidency. Once upon a time, it would be profoundly weird for an American politician to tout the endorsements of foreign leaders, let alone foreign dictators, but here we are.
Kevin RothrockI have many favorite bad movies, but the deep-fried comfort food I come back to more than anything has got to be the 2003 science fiction disaster film "The Core." Every line delivery from Stanley Tucci and Delroy Lindo is delicious gold.
Kevin Rothrock“my love language is organizing dogpile raids. must have harassed at least 15 strangers online today. Dealbreaker: anyone who doesn’t recognize my OSINT superpowers #NAFOTinder”
Kevin RothrockThe Trump administration is either attempting some daring public diplomacy designed to strongarm Putin into meetings he doesn’t want, or...
Kevin RothrockAtlantic Council research (buyer beware) finds a network of 3,634 automated accounts that posted pro-Russian comments in targeted Telegram channels between January 2024 and April 2025, aiming to “influence perceptions and opinions of local Ukrainian populations” now under occupation. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/report-russian-bot-networks-occupied-ukraine/#executive-summary
Kevin RothrockAt tomorrow’s summit with Aliyev and Pashinyan, Armenia plans to award the U.S. exclusive special development rights for an extended period on a transit corridor linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave that will be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, aka TRIPP. https://www.reuters.com/world/us-secures-strategic-transit-corridor-armenia-azerbaijan-peace-deal-2025-08-07/
Kevin RothrockHere’s something you don’t see every day: a Russian court ruling fining a woman for using an anti-Ukrainian ethnic slur against her neighbor. (The word “khokhly” is nevertheless ubiquitous on social media.) Ironically, this speech would be perfectly legal in the U.S. https://meduza.io/en/news/2025/08/07/russian-court-fines-woman-for-using-anti-ukrainian-ethnic-slur