Kompromat

 

Source: https://x.com/PTFODictionary/status/1851196116533973268

Kompromat 

Kompromat 是俄語，源自於上世紀三十年代（斯大林時代）的前蘇聯秘密警察用語，意思是收集目標人物（可以是政治人物或異見人士或特定群組）的黑材料，用來勒索對方、迫對方為己方做事、抹黑（發動人格謀殺）、設局陷害、影響公眾觀感或輿論走向（例如：令網上討論區的言論失去焦点或改變立場）。黑材料也可以用來影響選舉結果或令某國的領導人下台（同時扶植己方的傀儡上台），即是介入別國內政。簡單地說：黑材料一物多用，實際用途視乎情況而定。 

黑材料可以是真實、虛構或經過剪輯的醜聞，也可以是聲音、影像或文字記錄。常見的做法，是收集目標人物的性取向、記錄對方的性行為或色情交易（例如：不雅照片或性愛錄影帶）。今時今日，黑材料可以是經  AI 生成或剪輯，也可以透過新舊媒體發布，發動跨越國界的情報戰。

英語傳媒的說法：

• Russian intelligence craft. From the Soviet playbook.

• The origins of the term in Russian trace back to 1930s secret police jargon.

• “Compromising materials” collected on someone for the purpose of blackmailing.

• The dark art of blackmailing. Using scandal as a weapon.

• Dark PR. A form of disinformation, creating confusion and reducing public trust in institutions. 

誰人最有資格玩這套？答案是間諜出身的普京，他有經驗，也有動機。俄羅斯在 2022 年初入侵烏克蘭，被西方世界實施經濟和金融制裁，有必要報復或反擊，目的是延長自己的政治壽命、抗衡制裁或減少經濟層面的副作用。英語傳媒的說法，是美國總統特朗普（川普）有黑材料在普京手上，普京否認，信不信由你。

The Epstein Files + (Former) Prince Andrew 

如果已故的國際級淫媒愛潑斯坦 (Jeffrey Epstein, 1953-2019) 背後是俄羅斯的情報機關（另一說法是以色列的情報機關因為他是猶太裔），那麼他收集大量政商名流的性行為記錄便很合理。根據 OCCRP 的報導，愛潑斯坦曾經協助一名年輕的俄羅斯女子打入美國著名智庫組織，他跟她是 Romantic relationship，曾經為她提供金錢資助，詳情請參考《延伸閱讀》部提供的資料。如果愛潑斯坦 (Jeffrey Epstein, 1953-2019) 的確是替俄羅斯的情報機關做事的人，便是替自己人鋪橋搭路，順理成章。

此外，他的生平資料中，那些說不通的細節（例如：沒有大學學位但是曾經擔任貴族學校教師，表面上是金融家但是業務性質或商業模式不清不楚）也就微不足道。那些身份，只不過是 Frontman 的外衣，隨時可以更換。有情報機關做後台，就可以繞過制度，做到尋常百姓辦不到的事。

愛潑斯坦人脈通天，最後因為知道太多黑材料而自殺或被自殺。從情報戰的角度出發，就可以解讀他的故事，令脈絡顯現。換言之，俄羅斯跟西方世界早已開戰。又或者應該這樣說：戰爭從未結束，只是戰線轉移，又或者形式改變。

至於被執法部門拘捕的英國安德魯王子（Prince Andrew）（正確說法是已經被廢的王子），是情報戰的目標人物，只是其中一枚棋子。根據主流傳媒的報導，安德魯曾經向愛潑斯坦提供英國政府的敏感資料，當時王子以英國商務特使的身份造訪香港、中國、越南和新加坡。如果愛潑斯坦 (Jeffrey Epstein, 1953-2019) 是俄羅斯情報機關的人，事情的本質就是通俄或賣國。王子賣國，非同小可。論性質，比性罪行嚴重得多。

現任英國首相施記賢 (Keir Starmer) 順水推舟，利用這宗醜聞自救。施記賢較早前訪問中國，回國之後被黨友迫宮（搜尋：跟習近平握手之後下台的多位外國領導人），面臨下台壓力，於是利用皇室成員的醜聞轉移視線和提升民望。英國首相向廢王子落刀，為自己爭取時間，是現實版的宮鬥戲。施記賢來自工黨，跟皇室不親。從他的角度看：萬一事件持續發酵，最後演變成廢除皇室制度的導火線，可以彌補自己在政績上的空白，就算最終要下台，也會名留英國歷史。簡單地說：損人利己+本小利大。受損的，是苟延殘存的皇室制度。馬年剛開始，英國皇室就應了「赤馬紅羊劫」，嗚呼。萬一閣下翻牆而來，不知道什麼是「赤馬紅羊劫」，請上網。施記賢來自工黨，並非來自上流社會，因此經常被親（英國）保守黨的香港財經媒體看輕，但是他懂得向廢王子落刀，說明他有腦，也具備政客本能。 

總結：政商名流和皇室成員都是棋子，被幕後玩家操控，然後用完即棄。間諜橫行，代表制度失效。而背後的脈絡，是大國開戰，國際政治版圖正在重組。至於師承前蘇聯的中共有沒有玩Kompromat，自己想。

延伸閱讀／參考資料：

Wikipedia - Kompromat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kompromat

Excerpt: Kompromat (Russian: компромат, IPA: [kəmprɐˈmat] ⓘ, short for компрометирующий материал, variously translated as "compromising material", "discrediting material", or "incriminating material"), is damaging information about a person or a group, commonly a politician, businessperson, or other public figure, which may be used for negative campaigning or smear campaigning to discredit the person or group. It can also be used for blackmail purposes, often to exert influence over a person rather than for monetary gain, and extortion. In English it is also called "dark PR" or "black PR". Kompromat may be acquired from security agencies or intelligence agencies, or outright forged, and then publicized, e.g., via a public relations official. 

Etymology

The term kompromat is borrowed from the Russian NKVD slang term компромат from the Stalin era, which is short for "compromising material" (komprometiruyushchy material). It refers to disparaging information that can be collected, stored, traded, or used strategically across all domains: political, electoral, legal, professional, judicial, media, and business. The information may be truthful, fictional, or a mix of both, including presenting information out of context. The origins of the term in Russian trace back to 1930s secret police jargon. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the first known use in English was in 1990.

Use in Soviet Union and Russia

Use of kompromat has been common in the politics of Russia and other post-Soviet states.

In the early days, kompromat included altered photographs, planted drugs, grainy videos of liaisons with prostitutes hired by the KGB, and a wide range of other primitive entrapment techniques. More contemporary forms of kompromat appear as a form of cybercrime. One aspect of kompromat that stands the test of time is that the compromising information is often sexual in nature.

The use of kompromat is part of the political culture in Russia, with many members of the business and political elite having collected and stored potentially compromising material on their political opponents. A person or organization collecting kompromat may not target specific individuals, instead collecting a range of information that could be useful later. Compromising videos may be produced long in advance of when leverage over people is needed.

Especially when promoted or supported by public figures or news media, kompromat is a form of disinformation, creating confusion and reducing public trust in institutions.

How ‘Kompromat’ Became a Word for Using Scandal as a Weapon

Roots of the word are traced to the Soviet secret police

By Ben Zimmer

The Wall Street Journal

Jan 20, 2017

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-kompromat-became-a-word-for-using-scandal-as-a-weapon-1484945369

Excerpt: A diabolical-sounding Russian word has been making waves recently: “kompromat,” meaning “compromising material,” collected on someone for the purposes of blackmail. Less than two weeks before being sworn in as president, Donald Trump faced reports that the Russian government had “kompromat” on him, allegedly including evidence of sordid dealings with prostitutes and compromising financial ties. 

The accusations appeared in a dossier prepared by a British ex-intelligence officer that was posted by BuzzFeed. Mr. Trump and Russian officials have both dismissed the dossier’s claims, which news outlets including The Wall Street Journal couldn’t verify. But the story has brought new attention to a word that has its roots in the cloak-and-dagger machinations of the Soviet era, when real or manufactured dirt might be gathered to disable political foes.

Understanding the use of Kompromat in Russian Politics: An Excerpt from Alena V. Ledeneva’s “How Russia Really Works”

Cornell University Press

https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/understanding-the-use-of-kompromat-in-russian-politics-an-excerpt-from-alena-v-ledenevas-how-russia-really-works/#:~:text=Kompromat%20is%20a%20Russian%20term%20that%20refers,*%20Bargain%20*%20Exert%20pressure%20on%20opponents

Excerpt: The word kompromat has no direct equivalent in English. Its literal translation—“compromising material”—refers to discrediting information that can be collected, stored, traded, or used strategically across all domains: political, electoral, legal, professional, judicial, media, or business. A recent dictionary of contemporary terminology defines kompromat as an abbreviated term for disparaging documents on a person subject to investigation, suspicion, or blackmail, derived from 1930s secret police jargon. In its contemporary context, the term is strongly associated with kompromat wars—intrigues exercised through the release of often unsubstantiated or unproven information (documents, materials)—which are damaging for all those involved. 

Typology of Kompromat

To understand the logics of this diverse phenomenon, it is helpful to identify four “ideal types” of kompromat. When we look at real-life cases of kompromat used against rivals, it is clear that these four categories are primarily analytical: few cases can be defined as belonging exclusively to a single type, while a serious and sustained attack on a politician tends to make use of all types.

The first type of kompromat consists of revelations about an individual’s political activities, including abuse of office and power, relations with oligarchs, the disclosure of secret information, political incompetence, and political disloyalty.

The second type of kompromat concerns a politician’s disreputable, often illegal, economic activities, which could include any one or a number of the following: misappropriation of budget funds, embezzlement, shady bank deals, improprieties in the privatization process, offshore activity, capital flight, the holding of foreign bank accounts, involvement in illegal financial schemes, cronyism and nepotism, inappropriate or illegal election campaign financing, preferential treatment in business deals or contracts, and, most obvious, the giving and accepting of bribes.

Kompromat displays some of its discrediting potential when published, but its powerful unpublished form is used for bargaining and is most difficult to scrutinize.

The third type of kompromat involves criminal activities, including ties to organized crime, contract killings and violence, spying and tapping, and blackmail.

The fourth type of kompromat consists of revelations about private life, including details of illegitimate income or fees, property and possessions, extravagant spending habits, sexual behavior, sexual orientation, cultural or religious background, beliefs and ideology, health or age, and misdemeanors by family members.

Kompromat as a Bargaining Strategy and as an Instrument for Informal Persuasion

One of the post-Soviet wisdoms, reflecting the high-risk environment, is “To keep kompromat on enemies is a pleasure. To keep kompromat on friends is a must” (Latynina 1999). Kompromat displays some of its discrediting potential when published, but it is its power in unpublished form that is used for bargaining and is most difficult to scrutinize. Unpublished kompromat files serve to threaten or exert pressure on opponents in classic blackmail scenarios where revelation or publication poses such a threat that opponents will alter their behavior in return for the nondisclosure. Kompromat of this kind is difficult to trace, although it often surfaces in print at a later date. Chrystia Freeland quotes one oligarch describing the kompromat-centered nature of political power in Russia by admitting that Yeltsin’s bodyguard and a chief of the Kremlin security force, Aleksander Korzhakov, had a very important function.

kompromat strategies are not based on the actual exposure but on the exploitation of the bargaining power of a threat of exposure.

People feared him and that fear, which is part of the Russian political tradition, in many ways anchored the vertical power structure of the state. Korzhakov collected dirt; he knew who every governor was sleeping with, who was paying him bribes and so forth. May be this was a stupid, pig-headed way to influence the regional authorities, but it worked. If some governor tried to do something against the Kremlin, Korzhakov would just say, “Look, I am just going to throw you in jail and only then will we start worrying about whether it was legal or not.”

Politics & Policy

A Russian Word Americans Need To Know: 'Kompromat'

NPR

January 11, 2017

Greg Myre

https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/01/11/509305088/a-russian-word-americans-need-to-know-kompromat

Excerpt: From the Soviet playbook 

Kompromat is straight from the old Soviet playbook and has often involved photographs and videos — real or fake. Russians often use it for internal battles, though it is also deployed to blackmail foreign diplomats serving in Russia. A diplomat lured into an affair might be willing to quietly cooperate with the Russia government rather than having a career and marriage upended.

Now there are unverified claims that Russia may have compromising material on President-elect Donald Trump. NPR and other news organizations have reported on the existence of the allegations since the story broke Tuesday evening. NPR has not reported the details since they are unproven.

Trump denied the reports in a news conference Wednesday. The Kremlin also issued a denial, with Putin spokesman Dmitri Peskov stating flatly: "The Kremlin does not collect compromising materials."

While claims and counterclaims are still flying, what's clear is that Russian kompromat does continue to thrive in the post-Soviet era, aided by the march of cyber technology.

Kompromat is considered part of the larger Russian espionage arsenal that also includes disinformation, fake news and computer hacking. U.S. intelligence agencies have blamed the Russians for hacking into Democratic Party emails to harm Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign. Russia has denied this.

 

Natural Born Killer

A former CIA Russia hand illuminates Vladimir Putin’s dark arts

John Sipher

Spytalk

Feb 10, 2026

https://www.spytalk.co/p/natural-born-killer?publication_id=81003&post_id=187461310&isFreemail=true&r=l5gik&triedRedirect=true&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Intro: Since the Kremlin’s 2016 attack on our democracy, the American public has become familiar with terms unique to Russian intelligence culture—kompromat, disinformatsiya, active measures, and, of course, useful idiot, In his new book, Tradecraft, Tactics and Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence and Putin’s Secret War, former CIA officer Sean Wiswesser places these techniques in context. In doing so, he offers an in-depth historical view of the Russian secret police and shows how Russian President Vladimir Putin uses the security services (RIS) as instruments of political warfare against the West. 

Wiswesser was not only a career officer in the CIA’s Clandestine Service with expertise in Russian operations, he’s long been a dedicated linguist, with a B.A. in Russian Language and Literature from the University of North Carolina. He also holds a degree in Strategic Military Studies from the Air War College. In short, he’s got the right experience and tools for the job.

Wikipedia – Kompromat (Film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kompromat_(film)

Kompromat is a 2022 French drama film directed and co-written by Jérôme Salle loosely based on the true story of Yoann Barbereau [fr], director of the Alliance française in Irkutsk, Siberia, framed by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) with kompromat for the dissemination of child pornography and abusing his own daughter.

 

Kompromat - Official Trailer (2:06 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsJIQTBvVY8

2022 年法國驚悚片《Kompromat》講述了一名外交官在西伯利亞被俄羅斯聯邦安全局（FSB）陷害的真實故事。

The Epstein Files and Russiagate are the Same Thing

Seva Gunitsky

Hegemon

Feb 02, 2026

https://hegemon.substack.com/p/the-epstein-files-and-russiagate?utm_source=OCCRP&utm_campaign=8111e37882-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_02_12_08_14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-8111e37882-712326805

Viewed through this lens, Epstein’s incredible collection of powerful and influential contacts, from tech billionaires to FSB officers, perfectly exemplifies a new transnational elite — one that has “built fortunes by moving money across jurisdictions, leveraging kompromat, and treating governments as service providers instead of sovereigns.” 

Epstein’s role shows how this class of operators has been enabled by willing Western partners. Our recent reporting offers three snapshots of how that works.

Start with Senegal: the documents trace a years-long relationship between Epstein and Karim Wade, son of former President Abdoulaye Wade and once one of the country’s most powerful ministers. After Wade’s corruption conviction, his team sought help lobbying in Washington — and turned to Epstein for guidance.

Epstein’s social capital also paid dividends back in New York. Emails indicate he worked to secure employment at the International Peace Institute — a respected policy institution tied to the United Nations — for a Russian romantic partner. He may even have subsidized her pay.

 

Jeffrey Epstein Arranged Employment for Romantic Partner at Top U.S. Think Tank

Emails show Epstein helped a girlfriend obtain roles at the International Peace Institute, a New York-based think tank, and may even have subsidized her salary at one point.

Reported by Anuška Delić

OCCRP/Oštro

February 11, 2026

https://www.occrp.org/en/scoop/jeffrey-epstein-arranged-employment-for-romantic-partner-at-top-us-think-tank

Key Points:

• Jeffrey Epstein appears to have pulled strings to secure employment at a prominent New York City think tank for a Russian woman he had an intimate relationship with, newly released documents show. 

• Emails show Epstein making inquiries about the woman’s career with people connected to the International Peace Institute (IPI), including its former president, Norwegian ex-diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen. They also suggest that he subsidized her salary at one point. The IPI is a nonprofit that produces policy research and convenes events focused on international cooperation, particularly within the United Nations system.

• It is unclear whether the board was aware that Epstein was involved in discussions about the woman’s work at the organization, and appears to have subsidized at least some of her earnings there. IPI did not respond to a request for comment.

• The woman started working for IPI as an intern in 2016. In a series of emails in early 2018, she repeatedly asked Epstein to talk to Rød-Larsen about the possibility of securing a job. Emails show she did get a full-time job at the think tank, and IPI’s 2018 annual report lists her as an external relations assistant. (OCCRP has decided not to name women associated with Epstein in the absence of clear evidence of wrongdoing or illegality on their part.)

OCCRP– About Us

https://www.occrp.org/en/about-us

OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Report Project) is one of the largest investigative journalism organizations in the world, headquartered in Amsterdam and with staff across six continents. We are a mission-driven nonprofit newsroom that partners with other media outlets to publish stories that lead to real-world action. At the same time, our media development arm helps investigative outlets around the world succeed and serve the public. 

Founded by investigative reporters Drew Sullivan and Paul Radu in 2007, OCCRP began in Eastern Europe with a handful of partners and has grown into a major force in collaborative investigative journalism, upholding the highest standards for public interest reporting.

 

Andrew shared confidential information with Epstein as trade envoy, files suggest

Andy Verity

BBC

9 February 2026

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c99j01p1yjro

Key Points:

• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor appears to have knowingly shared confidential information with Jeffrey Epstein from his official work as trade envoy in 2010 and 2011, according to material in the latest release of files in the US seen by the BBC.

• Emails from the recently-released batch of Epstein files show the former prince passing on reports of visits to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam and confidential details of investment opportunities.

• Under official guidance, trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial, or political information about their official visits.

• The former Duke of York, who served as trade envoy between 2001 and 2011, has been contacted for comment but is yet to respond.

• The emails indicate that on 7 October 2010, Andrew sent Epstein details of his official upcoming trips as trade envoy to Singapore, Vietnam, Shenzhen in China and Hong Kong, where he was accompanied by business associates of Epstein.

• After the trip, on 30 November, he appears to have forwarded official reports of those visits sent by his then-special assistant, Amit Patel, to Epstein, five minutes after receiving them.

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節錄：曾經是特朗普「朋友」的淫媒愛潑斯坦（Jeffrey Epstein），也是德意志銀行的客戶，令銀行被捲入法庭訴訟，提出訴訟的女子聲稱德意志銀行明知愛潑斯坦從事犯罪活動，令多名女性被政商名人性侵，但是依然選擇維持客戶關係，最終銀行賠錢了事，詳情請參考《延伸閱讀》部份的 BBC 報導。愛潑斯坦是國際級淫媒，人脈通天，是「超级聯繫人」，留下的客戶資料及通訊記錄叫 Epstein Files，裡面有不少黑材料，正在公開中，引爆不少公關災難（搜尋：Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton）。

Follow the money (Part 2)

2025 年 9 月 21 日

https://xiaoshousha.blogspot.com/2025/09/follow-money-part-2.html

節錄：對於被捲入性交易案的跨國金融機構來說，案件是內部合規 (Internal Compliance) 問題。跨國金融機構因為替客戶處理金錢往來而捲入犯罪行為（例如：教唆或操控未成年人士進行性交易，又或者牽涉跨國人口販賣），變成協助壞人洗黑錢 (Money laundering)，是常見的事。結果通常是：跨國金融機構被監管機構罰款或譴責，聲譽受損。要跨國金融機構交出跟某位已經死亡的名人客戶的金錢交易記錄，必須由監管機構以及執法部門出手。

德意志＋鐮刀幫＋美國總統

2020 年 7 月 23 日

https://xiaoshousha.blogspot.com/2020/07/blog-post_23.html

節錄：德銀也跟匯豐一樣，因為（九十年代）進軍中國和美國而被捲入政治漩渦。這間銀行所走過的路，讓你明白金錢和權力之間的複雜關係，以及金錢在國際政治中所扮演的角色。跟匯豐一樣，德銀於九十年代進軍美國市場，曾經借錢給一個做地產生意的美國佬，日後美國佬在 2016 年的總統大選中勝出。對，他叫 Donald Trump（中譯：特朗普、川普）。若干年後，一間俄國國營銀行成為部份貸款的 Underwriter，消息來源這樣說：

富豪逃離英國？

2025 年 10 月 11 日

https://xiaoshousha.blogspot.com/2025/10/blog-post_11.html

節錄：財經媒體（舊媒體）崇拜金錢，政治立場通常是保守右翼（即是親近英國的保守黨），因此對工黨政府不友善或不公平，甚至想工黨早日下台。香港的情況比較特殊，親建制的中文財經媒體（舊媒體）可以同時靠近商界富豪和中國共產黨，然後把 Henley & Partners 發表的那份調查報告照單全收，以為罵英國工黨政府趕走富豪，就是對自己最有利的做法。但是不會深入研究那份調查報告有什麼問題，也不會告訴讀者和觀眾那份調查報告發表之後的迴響。