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The Alaska Summit: Inside Russia’s War and Putin’s Next Chapter with Rob Dannenberg (Part 2)

September 3, 2025·21 min·1 clip

How did Ukrainian drones hidden in portable cabins attack Russian airbases 4,300 kilometers away?

This episode is part two of an interview with Rob Dannenberg, a former CIA Moscow station chief, hosted by Elisa on National Security Law Today. The discussion opens with an analysis of Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb, where Ukrainians infiltrated trucks carrying portable cabins that secretly housed drones armed with explosives. These cabins were directed to stop near five Russian airbases, including Belaya Air Base 4,300 kilometers from Ukraine, and released drones controlled remotely via cell networks to avoid jamming. Dannenberg praises the operation's brilliance and low cost, though damage assessments vary. The conversation shifts to Russian public opinion, where Dannenberg notes the war's popularity in rural areas due to soldier stipends improving local economies, coupled with widespread contempt for Ukrainians as "hicks and farmers." He emphasizes that state-controlled media portrays Russia as winning against NATO, masking the war's realities. Regarding Putin's future, Dannenberg dismisses health speculation, citing his fitness and access to top healthcare, and explains there is no clear successor; if Putin dies, interim power would go to Prime Minister Shustin, with a coalition of security chiefs likely guiding a transition. He mentions potential successors like Dmitry Patrashev or Putin's sons but calls such talk premature. The tone lightens as Dannenberg discusses his cocktail book, "A Spy Walked Into a Bar," co-authored with Joe Mullen, sharing anecdotes about Russian curiosity over American cocktails. When asked what drink he'd serve Putin, he jokes about polonium-210, referencing Navalny's poisoning, and contrasts Russian vodka culture with Western sipping traditions. For non-drinker Trump, he suggests a Diet Coke. In closing, Dannenberg predicts a long war with no near-term peace deal, highlighting Russia's demographic advantage—Ukraine's average frontline soldier age is 43-45—and stresses the need for Western support to make Russians feel the war's cost. The episode ends with promotional notes and credits, including host Elisa Poteet and producers from the ABA Standing Committee.

As heard by us

Operation Spiderweb and Putin's succession frame a clear discussion of covert action, information control, and Russian power.

Part two of National Security Law Today looks at Russia's war through covert action, controlled information, and the problem of political succession.

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You want to understand how Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb got inside Russia while Russian authorities did not know it was happening.

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