Europe, Boring Until it's Not

[Otern]

You guys are running illegal spying operations??

Why not just use the embassy?

I'm no spy, so maybe I'm retarded. But there has to be a better way to buy state secrets than recruiting a civilian pensioner, and tell him to carry 3000€ to some guy in Russia.

[Speaker to Animals]

You guys are running illegal spying operations??

Why not just use the embassy?

I'm no spy, so maybe I'm retarded. But there has to be a better way to buy state secrets than recruiting a civilian pensioner, and tell him to carry 3000€ to some guy in Russia.

Eh...

It's not implausible that they would do that. Depends on who this guy was in the past and who is connected to. It says he was a border inspector. Chances are high he's had some contact with your intelligence apparatus.

Illegal spying rings operate with unlikely people like that as a general rule. Look at the Russian group we caught during the Obama admin.

The problem with illegal spying rings is that the people involved technically have no protections at all. If captured, they are going to get tried and could potentially face execution.

It's safer for your own agents to run them out of your embassy as if they are diplomats. Of course, the host nation is keeping track of all your diplomats and can damned well figure out who is not really a diplomat, so it's harder to operate.

[Speaker to Animals]

If he's a legit spy, they are likely to figure that out. If that is the case, then I would expect them to hold on to the guy until they can exact some concessions from Norway.

Nations generally don't execute other nation's intelligence officers, even when they are operating outside diplomatic immunity, since most nations engage in this type of shit at some point for some reason, and so there is a kind of reciprocity involved.

[Otern]

If he's a legit spy, they are likely to figure that out. If that is the case, then I would expect them to hold on to the guy until they can exact some concessions from Norway.

Nations generally don't execute other nation's intelligence officers, even when they are operating outside diplomatic immunity, since most nations engage in this type of shit at some point for some reason, and so there is a kind of reciprocity involved.

Oh, he is most likely a spy. He has admitted it, and had been telling a journalist about it in the time prior to being arrested. The journalist came forward once he publicly admitted it in Russia, to corroborate his story. The intelligence services are still quiet about it though.

Looks very much like there's some sort of coercion involved with him doing this. He was known as pretty outspoken in trying to keep good relations with Russia, and spying on them like this was something out of character. Either, it was all a ruse, and he really wanted to do it, or the intelligence services have been somewhat naughty.

[Otern]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48090616

A friendly beluga whale shows up in Norway. Everyone lose their heads because they think it's a Russian spy. It fits with the narrative.

Or it could be one of these that escaped. Used for therapy on troubled kids. Doesn't fit with the narrative though, so it won't reach international news;

[BjornP]

Wait, the US Navy actually uses "war dolphins"? I assume the Russians do or did, too, then. Or beluga whales in their case, or porpoises, or whatever's most common in the seas of western Russia. I always assumed that that whole training dolphins/whales/similar was one of those many military experiments that was found to be a waste of time and effort...

Anyway, I just visited NRK.no, and it doesn't really seem as if many thought/think it was a "spy whale". How would a beluga whale spy, anywaY?

[Speaker to Animals]

There even are dolphins in the officer corps.

Who's the most diverse shit town now, bitch?

[BjornP]

Careful, now. You know what happened once when the British outfitted a band of ragtag animals with guns and notions beyond their low status and station...

...they became Americans. Soon enough, the Russians will broadcast their subvervise propaganda to your dolphin officers and they'll proclaim the Grand Aquatic Republic of Delphinia and cut off your access to the seas.

[Montegriffo]

They have whales in the Norwegian navy too.
They are known as lunch.

[BjornP]

Hmm... could one then train beluga whales to attack and feed on those seals that crowd Danish waters? One could combine a healthy massacre of surplus blubber with a grand feeding time for those beluga whales, and have some kids watch from local boats. It'll be a nice, soothing educational experience for them.