Month: August 2023

During my research about the British involvement in the Russian Civil War, I discovered several unsolved cases of Soviet officials who were mysteriously killed in what appeared to be arranged accidents.

One such example was the case of Solomon Mogilevsky. He met Lenin in Switzerland and joined the Bolshevik cause before becoming involved in the 1917 October Revolution. After he became a senior member of the Secret Police (Tcheka), he interrogated Francis McCullagh over Easter 1919 and then became head of the Soviet foreign intelligence service from 1921 to 1922. His next posting was Head of the Caucasian secret police when he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for his role in suppressing an uprising in Georgia.

Mogilevsky died in an unsolved air crash near Tiflis in 1925. The cause of the crash was never determined despite three commissions and no-one alive knows whether it was arranged on behalf of Stalin, or for some other reason. At this stage, the crash appears to be strikingly similar to the air crash this week that killed Yevgeny Prigozhin after he fell out of favour with the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

I am not sure whether this is history repeating itself, or merely rhyming (as Mark Twain would have it), but you can read about the Tcheka’s terrifying techniques and Mogilevsky’s interrogation of Francis McCullagh in Part 2 of Churchill’s Abandoned Prisoners.

Francis McCullagh in Russia

I am delighted to be giving an illustrated talk about some of the British vessels involved in the Russian Civil War on the Foredeck Stage, at the Southampton International Boat Show on Sunday 24 September.

I will begin with the record-breaking Royal Navy deployment that sent a tug and a barge to operate on the River Kama and tell the story of the Royal Navy prisoners of war, who were captured by the Bolsheviks at Baku in 1920.

The second part will cover the return of the 9th Hampshire Regiment to Southampton docks in the SS Tunisian after nearly four years abroad. Arriving in the Solent on the evening of 5th December 1919, the teasing coastline sparkled brightly and flashed brilliant beams from light houses as far as the eye could reach. However, a cold mist, which rose in the night and greeted the soldiers in the morning, meant that all did not go according to plan…

The SS Tunisian Feeling Her Way Up The River Test on 6th December 1919

Two weeks ago, I criticised the Home Office for its poor planning before the migrant crisis that is currently in the news. This week, MP David Davies echoed my criticism on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme when he referred to the evacuation of the Portland barge by saying: “The primary thing that’s been revealed has been the startling incompetence of the Home Office…”

Meanwhile, the sinking of illegal migrant boats in the Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel have re-affirmed this as one of the top priorities for the International Order. Blame for blocking some of the Government’s options has been laid at the feet of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg; but the Court’s interpretation of human rights law is supported by a huge number of influential organisations in Britain.

There is still not enough focus on the organised criminals that are behind the illegal human trafficking. I was involved in tackling these gangs when they were linked with terrorist organisations in failing states. Economic sanctions are not enough, we need to target their leadership, but this will require a joined-up approach between international organisations, government departments and security services. Fifteen years ago, we had a handle on this – what has happened since then?

In a positive sign of increasing stability in Libya, BP is restoring its contractual obligations in the Ghadames Basin. This is tremendous news for the region, but not without some residual risks because the area is at the heart of the old trading routes across North Africa.

Ghadames is a captivating historic town at the confluence of Algeria, Libya and Tunisia. In 2012, I drove from Tripoli to this World Heritage listed town of 10,000 people to better understand the tension between the Tuareg, Arab and Berber tribes who share a symbiotic relationship around this Saharan oasis. There is a lot at stake there because the oil wealth does not reach local residents and during the civil war, there were several battles on the edge of the town. The balance between the tribes needs to be addressed as a top priority, in order to secure the pipes to the coast.

Once an uninterrupted flow to the Mediterranean Sea is re-established, it will mark an important step towards restoring Libya to its former position as a leader in the oil and gas sector, which in turn, could help Europe (and Britain) ween its reliance on Russian and Gulf energy.

The Old Town of Ghadames