This Week in History: From the Lehman Brothers collapse to the Cambridge Five Explore how major events between 14 and 20 September were captured on The Independent’s front pages The Independent UK · Sep 16
Review: An Alternate History of Soviet Space Exploration Star City considers a world where KGB paranoia dictates space development. Reason · Sep 11
Mayday review – Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh set cold war bromance alight An American fighter pilot teams up with a retired KGB officer for hijinks and hilarity in Soviet Russia The Guardian - UK · Sep 2
What’s really behind Trump’s deference to Putin? Whether or not US president fits the definition of a Russian asset, his actions align closely with the Kremlin’s interests The Guardian - UK · Sep 2
Mayday directors say the Top Gun-homaging action-comedy got Tom Cruise's permission to use footage from the '80s classic Mayday has the Tom Cruise seal of approval Total Film · Aug 29
How David Tisch's BoxGroup turned a $750K bet on Cursor into a $1 billion exit by breaking all the VC rules David Tisch started off thinking he’d do just one startup deal. Years later, his firm BoxGroup is at the center of VC’s biggest acquisition ever. Fortune · Aug 26
‘I can’t watch it without sobbing’: your happiest TV endings From poignant farewells to adorable cuddly toy monkeys, these are the televisual finales that turn Guardian readers into puddles of joy The Guardian - UK · Aug 10
Exclusive: Euronews ‘extremist’ label is Lukashenka’s revenge, Tsikhanouskaya said Exclusive: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said Belarus’ “extremist” label for Euronews shows the Lukashenka regime is afraid of independent information, and warned that it could put journalists, sources and audiences at risk for seeking or sharing the channel's news. Euronews · Aug 7
The August Coup by Robert Service review – the drink-soaked collapse of the Soviet Union This brilliant account of attempts by the old guard to take back control captures the ludicrousness of it all beautifully The Guardian - UK · Aug 3
The CIA’s most ridiculous Cold War spy weapon was a Xerox photocopier A disused bowling alley, a fire-prone photocopier, and a home-movie camera: inside the CIA's wild secret operation against the KGB. TechRadar · Jul 28
FBI director Kash Patel plans Russia trip where he’ll be hosted by KGB’s successors: report Official planning to spend time in Moscow and St Petersburg and will be hosted by the KGB’s successors, according to insiders The Independent UK · Jul 21
Quote of the day by Valery Legasov: 'Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid' and how continuous deception led to the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and eventually contributed to the fall of the USSR A technician inside a nuclear control room looks at a radiation meter that reads exactly 3.6 Roentgen (Unit of measurement for gamma-ray exposure) per hour. Moments after the catastrophic explosion tore through Reactor No. 4 in Chernobyl, he reports this number to his superiors, reassuring them that the situation is… The Times of India · Jul 17
Ex-Russian Sex Spy Details Bizarre State Drills To Perfect Oral Technique Using Bananas And A Fixed Angle Aliia Roza, a former Russian seduction agent, details her regimented training in a state programme focused on turning intimacy into tradecraft. International Business Times UK · Jul 14
Peter Mandelson seen as 'significant achievement' for Russian intelligence A LEAKED intelligence dossier alleges that Peter Mandelson was treated as a “privileged contact” by Russian intelligence The National (Scotland) · Jul 2
International Business Times UK · Jul 2 Lord Peter Mandelson is Russia's 'Privilege Contact,' According to Leaked Dossier A leaked dossier alleges former MP Lord Mandelson was a Russian intelligence contact for over 30 years, though evidence is lacking. The report also examines other UK politicians' ties to Russia.
Space · Jun 11 'Star City''s Agnes O'Casey and Anna Maxwell Martin spill the tea on Soviet severity, fighting for trousers, and furry hats 'It's not a big deal that they’re women in their fields. They're just sort of surviving and ruthless.'
TechRadar · Jun 6 Star City's most intriguing character doesn't even have a name — as Apple TV star reveals role in new sci-fi series is like 'playing a living ghost' You might have noticed that one of the main characters in new Apple TV sci-fi series Star City doesn't actually have a name — but according to actor Rhys Ifans, there's good reason why.
Evening Standard · Jun 1 Agnes O'Casey 'would die' to be the first female James Bond Playing spies is Agnes O’Casey’s superpower, and there’s one character right at the top of her wish list — 007
Space · May 29 'Star City': Release date & how to watch Apple TV's superb Soviet space series Bundle up for our frigid trek behind the Iron Curtain in this new 'For All Mankind' spinoff
Space · May 29 'For All Mankind' spin-off 'Star City' will make you want to know more about the Soviet space program Stories of NASA and Apollo have passed into folklore, but the equivalent stories from the other side of the Iron Curtain have often been shrouded in secrecy.
Tom’s Guide · May 29 ‘Star City’ review: Apple TV’s new ‘For All Mankind’ spinoff is a gripping Soviet spy thriller that I’m (mostly) here for This "Star City" review explores how Apple TV Plus’s new "For All Mankind" spinoff trades NASA optimism for a darker, paranoid Soviet spy thriller that mostly pulls it off.
The Economic Times · May 29 Quote of the Day by Vladimir Putin: "There is no happiness in life, there is only a..." Quote of the Day: Vladimir Putin views happiness not as a destination but a 'mirage on the horizon,' suggesting life's meaning lies in the pursuit of dreams and personal growth. This philosophical outlook, shaped by his life experiences, emphasizes cherishing hope and ambition, even when ultimate happiness remains elusive. The…
The Independent UK · May 29 Meta Ramsay: The British intelligence pioneer who could have been MI6’s first female ‘C’ Labour peer was a senior agent during the height of the Cold War
The Independent UK · May 29 Tributes pour in for MI6 ‘trailblazer’ Baroness Meta Ramsay Her tenure included participation in the 1985 extraction of KGB double agent Oleg Gordievsky from the Soviet Union
Evening Standard · May 29 Meta Ramsay: the spy who could have been MI6’s first female ‘C’ After a 22-year career in intelligence she became a Labour minister in the Lords, helping to steer Scottish devolution.