Kim
I do not have time at present to research all of this and what you have written is very interesting. But I can’t help but feel that there is a lot of chaff here. I doubt it very much that Boris Johnson or Cummings collaborate or collude with Putin, it makes no sense whatsoever. If Cummings was in Russia between 93 and 97, that was during the Yeltsin years when the Oligarchs were truly in power curving up and stealing the soviet industries and concerns. It therefore is more likely that the connection is with either émigré dissident Russian oligarchs, or with semi-dissident ones. My reading of what Putin is trying to do is that he has targeted those oligarchs who seek to meddle with politics but co-exists with those who keep strictly to business. The blurring of the line of Russian connection both here and in the US is a very clever way of attributing Russian state influence to any Russian influence, including oligarchs living in the west.
I am sure that a lot of manipulation is going on about the Russia report and I am also sure that the attempt at smearing Corbyn at this stage is part of the stratagem. The big problem we face now is that we have a lawless governement with a huge majority and little internal division because of the fear of deselection and a very pliant media.
Another point I wish to make is that the media is not a monolithic structure with the same purpose and methods. The Murdoch press for example is very clearly atlanticist, pro brexit and extremely anti Russia, whereas the Guardian and the BBC are extremely anti Russia but not so atlanticist, again with a line between the two.
The report publication will be of great interest because it will be twisted to mean everything to anybody.