Kathrine Frich
Intelligence experts agree that Putin has refined the Soviet tradition of kompromat into an art form of control.
Intelligence experts agree that Putin has refined the Soviet tradition of kompromat into an art form of control.
Could mean “political death”
A retired Ukrainian intelligence general has claimed that Vladimir Putin may possess such devastating compromising material on Donald Trump that its release could bring about the American politician’s “political death.”
Grigory Omelchenko, a former lieutenant general of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and five-term MP, made the statement in an interview with Channel 24, saying the Kremlin’s long history of using “dirty secrets” and blackmail fits its typical pattern of control.
A long history of kompromat
According to Omelchenko, the use of intimate secrets and sexual scandals as political weapons has always been a hallmark of Russia’s intelligence agencies.
The practice dates back to Soviet times, when the KGB routinely gathered personal data to manipulate both domestic figures and foreign leaders.
Under Putin, a former KGB officer himself, that strategy has evolved into a key political tool for neutralising rivals and influencing global figures.
The fear that haunts Trump
While Trump’s ties to Russia have long been the subject of speculation,
Omelchenko suggested that his greatest vulnerability is not financial or political, but personal.
“There is another, far more serious thing that Trump fears enormously, his connection to the scandalous Jeffrey Epstein case,” he said.
The expert argued that any evidence linking Trump to Epstein’s operations could be catastrophic for his reputation and career.
Echoes of old allegations
The Ukrainian general also reminded audiences that claims about Trump’s potential recruitment by Soviet intelligence date back to the 1980s.
Over the years, various reports have alleged that Russian oligarchs helped Trump avoid bankruptcy multiple times, giving the Kremlin leverage over him.
Though never proven, these rumours have fuelled persistent questions about Moscow’s influence on Trump throughout his political rise.
The Epstein connection
Omelchenko claimed that Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier accused of running a network of sexual exploitation involving the global elite, was linked to multiple intelligence agencies, including Britain’s MI6, Israel’s Mossad, the CIA, and Russia’s foreign intelligence service.
“Epstein met with Putin,” he said. “And the entire ‘international centre’ of debauchery and sexual violence he passed on to Putin.”
The claim has not been independently verified but has reignited debate over how Epstein’s information might have been used.
Epstein’s suspicious death
The expert described Epstein’s death in 2019 as “highly suspicious,” reflecting a belief held by many observers that he was silenced to protect powerful figures.
Some, Omelchenko added, even speculate that Trump himself wanted to “get rid of” Epstein to avoid exposure.
While no evidence supports that claim, the theory underscores the deep mistrust surrounding both men’s past associations.
Sex and secrets as political weapons
Omelchenko emphasised that for Putin, private vices and secret scandals are as potent as any missile or army.
“The collection of dirty details, from debts and alcoholism to sexual activity and gambling, is the daily bread of Putin’s regime and its strategy of pressure,” he said.
Experts note that this “kompromat culture” serves as both insurance and intimidation within Russia’s political system, ensuring loyalty through fear.
The Kremlin’s dark tradition
Intelligence experts agree that Putin has refined the Soviet tradition of kompromat into an art form of control.
Beyond blackmail, it allows him to manipulate allies, silence critics, and exert influence abroad without direct confrontation.
The threat of exposure often proves more effective than any official sanction or legal measure.
As Omelchenko put it, sexual compromise remains “Putin’s favourite weapon.”
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
