Miles Johnson

Investigative reporter at @FinancialTimes. Author of CHASING SHADOWS. Podcast: HOT MONEY: THE NEW NARCOS.

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

My story in the @FTMag today - The Fugitive Prince: how a man with a claim to a royal title and a vast fortune made a deal with a notorious businessman that cost him more than he could have imagined.

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Its a subtle but important distinction. As we reported, the handler was based in Russia and aligned with pro-Kremlin networks encouraging sabotage activity abroad. We also reported that these are decentralised networks, often with murky and indirect links to the Russian state.

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Why do the British police say they have “no evidence” the Starmer arson attacks were a “state threat” when there is overwhelming evidence that they were run by a handler based in Russia? The answer is here:

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Full story here: https://t.co/EGEN6jDs5I

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

🚨 New: Another man appears to have operated inside the fake Russian far-right network behind the Starmer arson attacks.

He has not been publicly identified or charged by UK police, raising new questions over a much wider Russia-originated agitation campaign in London last year.

[Financial Times @FT]

FT Exclusive: A Russian online sabotage network was behind a series of arson attacks on Sir Keir Starmer’s family home and other targets linked to the UK prime minister, an FT investigation has found. https://t.co/QojC6ifRP2

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

FT analysis of shipping data and satellite imagery found the Iranian vessel involved in the final leg of the delivery appeared to spoof its location - broadcasting false navigational data in an apparent effort to disguise the shipment’s route into Iran

https://t.co/AcODwIae6X

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

🚨 New @FT scoop: leaked records reveal how Iran’s Revolutionary Guards used a UAE procurement network to secretly ship Chinese satellite technology tied to its drone programme — months before Tehran launched thousands of drones and missiles at the Emirates.

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

@FT story on new US sanctions here:

https://t.co/nMpJlUnPsx
US imposes sanctions on Chinese companies for allegedly helping Iran

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

🚨The US State Department last night imposed sanctions on The Earth Eye, a Chinese company which the @FT last month revealed had secretly sold a high resolution satellite to Iran. The IRGC used this satellite to target US military bases around the Middle East with great accuracy.

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Link to our story here: https://t.co/hZaciLPY4y

And a link to the State Dept release here: https://t.co/vNAEaDVaJs

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

@maxmeizlish @FT Thanks Max 🙏

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Story about the Kinahan arrest here: https://t.co/qdPc91RXq2

And first episode podcast episode here, or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify:
https://t.co/ntkyAUm6hT

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Daniel Kinahan has been arrested in Dubai!

Listen to HOT MONEY: THE NEW NARCOS, our 8 part @pushkinpods and @FT podcast series about the rise and fall of the Dubai Super Cartel - a group including Kinahan that at one point controlled a third of Europe's cocaine market....

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Our story on the @ft splash today:

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

🚨New @ft scoop: In late 2024 Iran’s Revolutionary Guards secretly acquired a Chinese-launched satellite in space using an “in orbit” delivery. The $36.6mn deal gave the IRGC a powerful new capability to target US military bases across the Middle East during the recent war.

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Important to note - this IRGC satellite was not only looking at military assets but also Gulf civilian infrastructure. Our reporting found it took images of the Khor Fakkan container port and the Qidfa power and desalination plant in UAE, as well as the Alba facility in Bahrain.

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

🚨New @ft scoop: In late 2024 Iran’s Revolutionary Guards secretly acquired a Chinese-launched satellite in space using an “in orbit” delivery. The $36.6mn deal gave the IRGC a powerful new capability to target US military bases across the Middle East during the recent war.

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

You can read the full story here: https://t.co/hZaciLPY4y

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

🚨New @ft scoop: In late 2024 Iran’s Revolutionary Guards secretly acquired a Chinese-launched satellite in space using an “in orbit” delivery. The $36.6mn deal gave the IRGC a powerful new capability to target US military bases across the Middle East during the recent war.

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Link to the episode 1 on Apple Podcasts here: https://t.co/pvAm7P1qW4

[Miles Johnson @MilesMJohnson]

Dubai isn’t only a playground for expat Instagram influencers. It is also a haven for international crime bosses. Listen to our 8-part @FT x @pushkinpods series HOT MONEY: THE NEW NARCOS about the rise and fall of the “Dubai Super Cartel”:
https://t.co/5IQDqDaO5q