What a 110-year-old lemon tells us about espionage history
It's a classic line from a spy movie: 'Burn after reading.' For German agent Karl Muller, that advice would have really helped.
Muller, a spy who masqueraded as a Russian shipbroker and covertly traveled to England among a crowd of refugees in 1915, used pen nibs dipped in lemon to write invisible messages to his counterparts. He relayed his secrets in between lines of regular ink in what appeared to be otherwise unremarkable letters.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Russia boasts world's top nuclear force, must improve ground forces, Putin claims
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Moscow possesses the world's most advanced nuclear systems but must significantly strengthen its ground forces, Russian state media reported on June 11. As Russia continues its war against Ukraine, Moscow has increased investment in its military. Russian defense spending has reached its highest level since the Cold War at 6.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Putin claimed that Russia's nuclear triad has the highest share of new equipment among nuclear powers. "Currently, the share of modern weapons and equipment in the strategic nuclear forces is already 95%. This is a good indicator, in fact, it is the highest of all nuclear powers in the world," Russian state media reported Putin saying. Putin then called for Russia's ground forces to be improved as quickly as possible. "The dominant force in conducting modern military operations of any scale and intensity remains the ground forces. And it is important to increase their combat capabilities in the shortest possible time," he said. Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia first began its armed aggression against Ukraine in 2014, when its proxies occupied territory in eastern Ukraine and Russia annexed Crimea. Russia regularly strikes civilian infrastructure in its ongoing war against Ukraine. On June 11, a Russian drone attack on Kharkiv killed at least three people and injured 64 others. Read also: Putin's suspected daughter found working in anti-war galleries in Paris We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
Russia fired North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine in latest barrage, Zelensky says
Russia has been firing North Korean ballistic missiles against Kyiv in the deadly overnight barrages, the latest of which killed three people in Ukraine's second-largest city, officials said. The attack on Wednesday morning saw the Kremlin fire 85 drones and one missile across 14 locations over the border, with Kyiv identifying the rocket's origin as North Korean, similar to the ones fired during Monday's record-breaking airstrike. 'The Russians have once again used ballistic missiles from North Korea,' Ukrainian President Zelensky said of the attacks. Advertisement 4 A residential building in Kharkiv was hit by a Russian drone strike overnight. AP 4 A Ukrainian firefighter walks past a car destroyed by the Kremlin's attack on Wednesday. AFP via Getty Images 'We are also tracking evidence that Russian-Iranian drone technologies have spread to North Korea. This is extremely dangerous both for Europe and for East and Southeast Asia,' he added. Zelensky said that the longer the Russian invasion lasts, the more the Kremlin's war machine will evolve and prove to be a 'threat' to the West. Advertisement 'This must be addressed now — not when thousands of upgraded Shahed drones and ballistic missiles begin to threaten Seoul and Tokyo,' Zelensky warned North Korea's usual targets. The warning highlighted the growing military alliance between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with UN officials finding that Pyongyang delivered as many as nine million rounds of artillery and rocket launcher ammunition to the Kremlin so far this year. 4 Officials said the overnight attack rocked Kharkiv with nine consecutive minutes of nonstop bombings. AP Advertisement 4 Ukraine warned that the military alliance between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin is growing and could threaten Europe and Asia. AP Russia's plethora of drones and missiles have been used to relentlessly attack Ukraine, with more than 1,500 drones and missiles fired over the past week, the most intense airstrike campaign of the three-year war. Moscow's latest attack, significantly smaller than the ones of previous nights, was aimed at Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the attack killed at least three people in the northeast city, with another 56 injured in the assault, which allegedly included Iranian-designed Shahed drones. Advertisement The attack also saw more than 103 residential buildings damaged in what officials said was nine minutes of non-stop bombings, with Terekhov describing the destruction as 'enormous.' Moscow had vowed to retaliate hard against Kyiv over the humiliating attack earlier this month that saw Ukrainian drones damage and destroy dozens of Russia's heavy bombers in 'Operation Spider Web.' With Post wires
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Drapatyi ends tenure as Ground Forces chief, says he leaves with 'clear conscience'
Mykhailo Drapatyi said on June 11 that he had concluded his six-month tenure as commander of Ukraine's Ground Forces, summarizing his accomplishments and stating that he is leaving with "a clear conscience." Drapatyi submitted his resignation on June 1, following a deadly Russian missile strike that killed at least 12 Ukrainian soldiers at a training camp in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, saying the victims were young recruits who "should have learned, lived, and fought — not died." President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed him as commander of the Joint Forces on June 3, two days after the incident. The Ground Forces said the same day that an investigation was underway and pledged accountability if negligence or misconduct is found. In his statement, Drapatyi described the state of the Ground Forces at the time of his appointment on Nov. 29, 2024 as mired in "managerial stagnation," defined by fear, lack of initiative, and detachment from frontline units. "Systemic abuse, personnel decisions based on connections, low internal organization," he wrote. "The command is gradually shifting from a culture of fear to a culture of responsibility." Drapatyi said he had replaced over half of the Ground Forces' leadership in key functions and had begun reforms aimed at decentralization, accountability, and professionalism. Under his leadership, the military launched a revamp of recruitment centers, aiming to eliminate corruption and increase transparency in mobilization. Drapatyi also oversaw a partial overhaul of the army's training and staffing systems. New leadership was introduced in the drone, cyber, and electronic warfare units amid a wave of broader reforms. "Decisions are made not on the basis of status or loyalty, but on the basis of analysis, results, and respect for subordinates," Drapatyi said. "Grassroots initiatives ceased to be a threat and began to become a resource." Zelensky said on June 3 that Drapatyi's new role would focus "exclusively on combat issues." Read also: Ukraine's SBU releases fresh video of Operation Spiderweb, teases 'new surprises' We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
