VLADIMIR PUTIN'S STINT IN the KGB before becoming president ensured he knew the value of keeping a low profile. Yet as the war he started against Ukraine pits him against the West, he seems happy for agents to come out of the shadows.
On August 1, the Russian leader held flowers on the tarmac at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport as he welcomed Artem Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, who had posed as an Argentine couple in Slovenia. They were convicted of spying and were part of a multi-country prisoner swap which included U.S. marine Paul Whelan, journalist Evan Gershkovich and Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov.
The fact that Putin had bouquets rather than rebukes for the Russian agents showed that even with their cover blown, those used to working under the radar could have a significant PR value if thrust into the limelight. "What happened under Putin is that the profession of a spy suddenly acquired a new degree of respectability, becoming these glamorous heroes like Stierlitz [a cult character from the Russian spy TV series Seventeen Moments of Spring] or James Bond," Russian historian Sergey Radchenko told Newsweek.
Newsweek has reached out to the Kremlin for comment.
Like the gonzo journalists in 1970s America who shunned objectivity in favor of being part of the story they were reporting on, these historically clandestine operatives are embracing the limelight, taking on a more proactive and often public role even as the more covert objectives remain in place-as highlighted by the recent bombshell FBI filing charging pro-Russia influencer Nomma Zarubina.
HEROES' WELCOME From left: Dultseva with her daughter and Putin at Vnukovo International Airport on August 1 after a prisoner swap; fellow former spy Chapman.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Mystery of Ginger Cat Is out of the Bag
The genetics behind the vibrant orange color in feline coats is finally confirmed after 112 years
Paris Hilton & Nicole Richie
PARIS HILTON AND NICOLE RICHIE ARE READY TO BRING A LITTLE “SANASA” to the world with Peacock's Paris & Nicole: The Encore, their first project together since their reality show The Simple Life ended in 2007. What's “sanasa”? It's a song and phrase the longtime friends created as kids and popularized on The Simple Life. The show, a cultural phenomenon in the early days of reality TV, followed them over a series of blue-collar jobs. Now they're bringing it back as an opera. “I know this is just going to make people laugh, have fun, be nostalgic and just celebrate our friendship,” Hilton said. While Richie acknowledged “you can't do Simple Life again,” she said now “felt like the right time.” The famous pair also revisit some old jobs in Arkansas, like fast-food chain Sonic, where they now have drinks named for them. “I think that there is a part of our friend- ship that the show ended up showing that people connect to,” Richie said. As for this new special, Hilton is glad to do something positive for their fans. “It's been such a crazy past couple years, and I just feel like the world needs more joy.”
What Next for Your Drugstore?
Walgreens and Amazon are placing opposing bets on the future of retail pharmacy
AMERICA'S GREATEST WORKPLACES for Diversity
AS COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES CONTINUE TO navigate the evolving dynamics of the workplace, diversity remains a cornerstone of organizational success and social responsibility.
FIGHTING SPIRITS
ANDREA MCCARTHY TOLD FRIENDS and family when she gave up alcohol on January 1, 2024, that she would toast 12 months off the sauce with a drink to ring in 2025. As that anniversary approached, the Los Angeles-born content creator told Newsweek she had had a change of heart.
Lessons Over Lunch
Ninety-year-old volunteer Hugh showed me how the winter years can be full of purpose
Is California's Green Dream Hot Air?
The state aims to rely on zero-carbon energy sources in two decades' time but has hurdles to overcome along the way
Power Struggle
As the dust settles following the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, new front lines could be drawn in Syria's old civil war
Ray Romano
THE MAJOR THING ABOUT NETFLIX'S NO GOOD DEED THAT APPEALED TO Ray Romano was that it was unlike anything he'd done before.
Has J.K. Rowling Won the Culture War?
After years of backlash over trans issues, the Harry Potter author has received major business backing
