S9 Ep45: Espresso Martini | India Eyes Retaliation, a Mysterious Russian Satellite, and New Saudi Links to 9/11

This week, Chris and Matt unpack surging tensions between India
and Pakistan following a devastating terror attack in
Kashmir—will India retaliate, and could it spiral out of control?
Then, new evidence links a Saudi national to 9/11, reigniting old
questions about the kingdom’s role in the plot and whether a
reckoning is overdue. They also explore a malfunctioning Russian
military satellite, possibly a testbed for a space-based nuclear
weapons program, and what it means for Starlink and future great
power conflicts. Finally, a tragic and bizarre story: a CIA
deputy director’s son is killed in Ukraine, fighting for
Russia.

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Articles discussed in today’s episode

"India-Pakistan Tensions On Verge Of Erupting After Deadly Terror
Attack" by Howard Altman | The War Zone:
https://www.twz.com/news-features/india-pakistan-tensions-on-verge-of-erupting-after-deadly-terror-attack


"Pakistan warns of an Indian attack, while quietly urging
de-escalation" by Shaiq Hussain and Rick Noack | The Washington
Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/04/30/pakistan-india-kashmir-pahalgam-conflict/


"What 9/11 evidence unsealed in court reveals years after the
attacks" by Cecilia Vega, Aliza Chasan, Richard Bonin, and
Mirella Brussani | CBS News:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bayoumi-september-11-evidence-60-minutes/


"Russian satellite at centre of nuclear weapons allegations is
spinning out of control, analysts say" by Joey Roulette |
Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/russian-satellite-linked-nuclear-weapon-program-appears-out-control-us-analysts-2025-04-25/


"Is Russia’s Cosmos 2553 satellite a test for a future orbital
nuclear weapon?" by Theresa Hitchens | Breaking Defense:
https://breakingdefense.com/2024/05/is-russias-cosmos-2553-satellite-a-test-for-a-future-orbital-nuclear-weapon/


"Son of CIA deputy director was killed while fighting for Russia,
report says" by Andrew Roth | The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/25/michael-alexander-gloss-cia-russia


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Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence,
covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a
way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris
Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode unpacks global events
through the lens of intelligence and geopolitics, featuring
expert insights from former spies, authors, and analysts.