--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It began two years earlier when…" description: "\"“It began two years earlier when Karetnikov seized the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in broad daylight and dared the West to make him pay. As sanction..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/matt-fulton-29269_military-intelligenc_it-began-two-years-earlier-when-karetnik_1012713.jpg" --- # It began two years earlier when Karetnikov seized the… ![“It began two years earlier when Karetnikov seized the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in broad daylight and dared the West to make him pay. As sanctions were levied against Karetnikov’s associates, the European Commission passed regulation after regulation to prevent South Stream from being built…” quote by Matt Fulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/matt-fulton-29269_military-intelligenc_it-began-two-years-earlier-when-karetnik_1012713.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/matt-fulton-29269_military-intelligenc_it-began-two-years-earlier-when-karetnik_1012713.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/matt-fulton-29269_military-intelligenc_it-began-two-years-earlier-when-karetnik_1012713.jpg) > ““It began two years earlier when Karetnikov seized the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in broad daylight and dared the West to make him pay. As sanctions were levied against Karetnikov’s associates, the European Commission passed regulation after regulation to prevent South Stream from being built and leaned on the Bulgarian government, where the pipeline would come ashore, to end their involvement. Gazprom executives and Kremlin emissaries began clandestine pilgrimages to Bojan Siderov, the prime minister of Bulgaria, and showered the country with politically strategic investments. Ivanov warily helped the GRU, Russian military intelligence, funnel millions to Ataka, a far-right party opposed to European integration and the exploration of Bulgarian shale gas. After parliamentary elections, Ataka gained enough seats to bolster Siderov’s coalition and pass a bill clearing the way for the pipeline. Everything was in order, and even as of that morning, pipe-laying ships were at work in the Black Sea.”” [Matt Fulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-fulton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A political leader used covert support and strategic investments to influence another country's policy and secure a pipeline project. **In simple terms:** Powerful actors manipulate foreign politics to achieve strategic goals. Key Takeaway Beware hidden agendas in international deals. Themes politics influence energy corruption Mood cautious critical analytical Type historical political When to use this quote - energy projects - election influence - sanctions evasion - pipeline construction - foreign investment Key Concepts geopolitics strategic manipulation foreign policy Questions to Reflect On - What motives drive covert political support? - How can transparency be increased in such projects? A Different Perspective The narrative may oversimplify complex diplomatic and economic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earlier Karetnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earlier-karetnikov-2208990/) [Involvement Gazprom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involvement-gazprom-2208992/) [Karetnikov Seized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karetnikov-seized-2208988/) [Levied Karetnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levied-karetnikov-2208991/) [Military intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-intelligence/) [Prime minister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prime-minister/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [Russian military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russian-military/) [Siderov Coalition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/siderov-coalition-2208989/) [Two years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-years/) ## Related quotes > [The GRU is used for both tactical intelligence collection in the battlefield in support of Russian military operations and also strategic active measures or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-alperovitch/the-gru-is-used-for-both-tactical-intelligence-collection-in-the/) [Dmitri Alperovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-alperovitch/) > [I've decided that the political context is such that the only way reform will finally come about in the Russian military is that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-decided-that-the-political-context-is-such-that-the-only-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ These missiles \[Cruise and Pershing II\] represent a new generation of missiles whose deployment will help give NATO first-strike capability. 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As sanctions were levied against Karetnikov’s associates, the European Commission passed regulation after regulation to prevent South Stream from being built and leaned on the Bulgarian government, where the pipeline would come ashore, to end their involvement. Gazprom executives and Kremlin emissaries began clandestine pilgrimages to Bojan Siderov, the prime minister of Bulgaria, and showered the country with politically strategic investments. Ivanov warily helped the GRU, Russian military intelligence, funnel millions to Ataka, a far-right party opposed to European integration and the exploration of Bulgarian shale gas. After parliamentary elections, Ataka gained enough seats to bolster Siderov’s coalition and pass a bill clearing the way for the pipeline. 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