The Telegraph is reporting that Maj. Gen. Yuri Ivanov, deputy head of Russian intelligence service known as GRU, died in Syria recently. Speculation is rampant that he was assassinated. He had been staying in the northwestern Syrian resort of Tartous when he disappeared, with his body later hauled in by Turkish fishermen.
Here is some background on Ivanov:
Major-General Yuri Ivanov, 52, was the deputy head of Russia’s foreign military intelligence arm known as GRU which is thought to operate the biggest network of foreign spies out of all of Russia’s clandestine intelligence services.
…Reports have suggested he was on official business and the location where he is reported to have disappeared was only about fifty miles from a strategically vital Russian naval facility in the Syrian port of Tartus which is being expanded and upgraded to service and refuel ships from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The facility is Russia’s only foothold in the Mediterranean Sea, and Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency, is known to be concerned that Moscow will use the upgraded facility as a base for spy ships and electronic espionage directed at the Middle East.
One wonders whether this is another variant of the U.S.S. Liberty episode in which Israel is warning the Russians not to stray too far into Israel’s business and its “sphere of influence.” I have written here about the possibility of an Israeli attack on Syria. Given this, the Mossad cannot have liked one of Russia’s top spies setting up a new base in Syria. Israel undoubtedly feels it has its hands full anticipating attacks by Hezbollah or Syria on its northern front. To add Russian mischief to the mix would be even more dangerous for Israeli interests.
The Guardian further adds that Ivanov was the architect of several spectacular assassinations of Chechen separatist leaders on foreign soil, one in Qatar. It seems perfect justice for Ivanov himself to have died in similar circumstances.
Of course, this is speculation. But given the dearth of facts, it seems credible speculation that awaits further confirmation or repudiation.
This incident recalls a not dissimilar one in 2008, in which a Syrian general and confidant of Pres. Assad was assassinated by a sniper while sunbathing at his southern Syrian coastal villa. In that case too, if I recall correctly, the Syrians originally reported that Gen. Suleiman died in a “swimming accident.” The general was Syria’s main liaison with Hezbollah and responsible for supplying it with sophisticated weaponry, and as such would’ve been a desirable Mossad target.
Furthermore, Israel, if it killed Ivanov, is sending Assad a message that it has penetrated his circle and those of his closest allies. No one is safe. It seems a sad recompense for Assad’s repeated offers to negotiate a peace agreement with Israel. But there you go…if it’s inconveneint for Israeli political machinations to make peace with you, it would just as soon make war on you or kill you or your closest advisors and allies.
Both assassinations (if the Ivanov death was such) also happened in very close proximity to Tartous (Ivanov’s in Latakia and Suleiman’s in Tartous itself), which is not only a playground for the Syrian elite, but also, as the Telegraph story notes, a Russian naval facility.
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- Mystery over Russian general found dead on Turkish beach (guardian.co.uk)
It is not clear to me what purpose is served by speculation when not a shred of evidence exists to connect the Mossad or Israel in general to this death. It could have been done by the CIA, by some fanatic Muslim group, by political rivals in Russia. There are enough verified things about which you can criticize the Israeli government, there is no need to make things up.
You didn’t read clearly what I wrote. Go back & read it again. Do you not notice the word “speculation” and other caveats? I only wrote that the Mossad would have a clear interest in killing such a figure. I didn’t say I or anyone can prove they did.
Israel would be insane to assassinate a top Russian spy.
The Russians are quite capable of replying in kind and then some.
Yes, of course they can reply in kind and then some, assuming they reply in kind to the right culprit.
But what if Mossad, instead of just using passports in the names of British Subjects this time, cloned the ID of British Government employees, as payback for the British Government having dared to protest about the abuse of its citizens in the Dubai murder?
Then it might have been a top GCHQ employee who was retaliated against, drugged, zipped into a giant sportsbag in the stress position, and allowed to recover consciousness as the bath the bag was in slowly filled and he drowned.
Of course, that’s all hypothetical, but Gareth Williams died a truly horrible death, within a day or so of Ivanov’s body being reported as found.
The UK does not mind the Russian base in Syria: anything that moves Russian hardware away from the Scottish coastline is welcomed in Whitehall.
If the GRU were given enough misleading breadcrumbs, though, they might have thought that Williams (a physically strong man) was a hitman and not a mathematician.
Scotland Yard know that Williams did not go to Syria, or anywhere else outside the UK, before he died. They now need to check that his identity didn’t make such a trip without him, that could have precipitated his torture and death.
I suspect that when Mossad finally reap all that they have sowed, they will find it a very bitter harvest indeed.
To me it seems pretty unbelievable that a “high-grade spy” like Maj. Gen. Yuri Ivanov, deputy head of Russian intelligence service, should walking or swimming around in the mediteranean sea, waiting for someone who kills him? Shurely he wasn’t travelling alone and unprotected? His body found by turkish fishermen in the water showed apparently no signs of bullet wounds. Chechens, Syrians an Israelis would not risk a kill on such a high level, I suppose? For me, this smells like a “Inner-Russian-Affair”…
Supposedly people at his level have a full complement of bodyguards. But who knows what happened?. His body was thrown in the water by whoever killed him. I doubt he died while “swimming.”
If he wasn’t shot…but drowned…it would have to be someone very close to him to accomplish this…probably in collusion with others as well!! Perhaps his body guards got tired of his orders!
Crimson Ghost, the Israelis were insane to attack the USS Liberty as well. Insanity in policy has never stopped the Israelis.
Richard, I won’t speculate with you about who or why Ivanov may have been “assassinated.” But I don’t see how you can possibly compare this to the USS Liberty slaughter, which was committed to keep the US from discovering Israel’s intention to attack and capture the Golan Heights. Even Lyndon Johnson was complicit in that cover up.
where is the evidence of your claim regarding the liberty?
where is richard’s evidence?
not one official united states record states what you state
why richard chose to include the liberty incident in this speculative post is a true mystery
A mystery only to someone as dense as you. But I do love a good mystery if you enjoy this one that’s fine w. me.
a simple internet search would conclude that:
1. The Pentagon issued an order to the 6 fleet, that the liberty will not get any closer then 100 NM from the coast of egypt, israel or sinai.
2. the liberty crew for some reason didn’t get the order on time, and was attacked 20 Miles from shore.
3. Intercepted communications reveal that israeli helicopter pilots sent to assist the Liberty were convinced the ship was an arab ship
all relevant documents are available on line, including navy formal documents.
easiest way to get to them would be via the referencing links at the bottom of the wikipedia article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident#cite_note-USNCOIreport-17
claiming this was a conspiracy on behalf of Israel is one thing, claiming the US navy produced documents to support the conspiracy is plain stupid.
Hey, we’re NOT getting into a debate about the Liberty. NOT! Do you understand? I’m simply not interested in hasbara explaining away Israel’s responsibility for killing 60 U.S. sailors. That’s the end of it. If you got there again, you’ll be moderated.
I’m not sure, as implied in my original question, why Richard brings up the Liberty. Perhaps because he feels this is just another rotten event in a whole series of crimes committed by Israel throughout its history. But there is no question that the Liberty slaughter is a fact. Evidence abounds – on the internet (Google it), and in US navy records. But the best description is to be found in chapter 2, volume III of Alan Hart’s “Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews.” He cites several sources, including Lt. James Ennes, who was Officer of the Deck on the Liberty throughout the attack. Ennes wrote a book about it – “Assault on the Liberty.” Even official Israeli records, where Moshe Dayan, himself, is quoted.
uncle joe mccarthy (the handle is appropriate), why don’t you do a bit of reading history before you mouth off all your B.S. Zionist hasbara here?
How did Turkish fishermen get to the Syrian coast?
My guess is by boat, but what do I know.
The body washed up on a Turkish beach. One would think that basic information would be common knowledge.
Look at a map: it really isn’t far.
Actually, with wind and currents the way they are, it would have been the body that travelled to them, rather than vice versa. But people who go into the sea off Suffolk can end up on a beach or sandbank in Denmark, and it’s about that distance. It also seems to have taken at least a week.
This area is right on the Syrian-Turkish border. And the body was decomposed & had been in the water some time.
Sorry, I missed the passage where you tell that Ivanov disappeared in the vicinity of Latakia. I only noticed Tartous as the place of the incident, and that must be ca. 100 km south of the Turkish-Syrian border on the coast.
Yes, he disappeared near Latakia & his body was in the water drifting for at least a week. In a way, we’re lucky anyone found him. He could’ve drifted out to sea where no one might’ve found the body.
True that Mossad is capable of penetrating Syria, and true that Syrians can be pretty relaxed. But I never believed the story of the “Box on the Euphrates”. It took too long to come out, leaving the possibility of fabrication. Why should I believe this, as another Mossad hyper-success?
Israel has the capabilities to carry out this operation with their own version of the Navy Seals/Special Black Ops guys that are involved in “counter terrorism”. As far as I know, Chechens haven’t had much opportunity to develop maritime skill sets.
Here’s a snippet of interest by Joshua Landis of “Syria Comment”:
“According to a new Israeli book (excerpted below) General Mohammed Suleiman was assassinated by two Israeli snipers. A number of analysts quoted by Nicholas Blanford in Time Magazine argued that he was killed by Syrians due to factional squabbles within the regime. The same thing was said about the assassinated of Imad Mughniyeh. It would seem that both were taken out by Israel, perhaps with some US intelligence assistance. This raises questions about who may have killed Major-General Yuri Ivanov. He was the deputy head of Russia’s foreign military intelligence arm known as GRU which is thought to operate the biggest network of foreign spies out of all of Russia’s clandestine intelligence services. He disappeared from the coast of Lattakia and his body washed up in Turkey.”
http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=7122#comment-239400
Which Israelis would be so criminally stupid as to knock THIS Russian off? Surely not the ones who were backtracking with all due haste from aspects of their security cooperation with Our Guy, the bat$#!t crazy Sakahshvili of Georgia. Nor the ones who refused to attack Syria, too, during Operation Just Reward.
Repercussions could be dire.
(PS. At the link above, note the damn scary bit posted by “Alex” @ comment #2 re Tony Blair’s revelations about Cheney. Shudder to think…)
The really scary bit about TB’s revelations, is that the book they are in comes in a special supporter’s edition, plain red covers, in a red slip case, with a red-place-keeping ribbon.
“The Book of Common Blair”.
You must bear in mind that with TB, presentation is ALWAYS more significant than substance. So, you’re looking at what’s written in the book and I’m looking at what sort of a place the book is meant to assume in the houses of the faithful, and I’m more scared that you are.
Yes, I agree. Aren’t we glad that Blair, Bush AND Cheney are in places where they can no longer endanger the health of the world?
The Suleiman story fr. Yediot is also fascinating & amounts to confirmation that it was a Mossad hit.