Written By Merrie Turner
Journalist
International Press Association
December 12, 2025
The movie Dr. Zhivago comes to mind when I think of Russia and the
song, Laura’s Theme which was played on the beautiful balalaika.
The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 was the backdrop of this suspenseful
story where good versed evil. Fast forward to 2025 following the dinner
reception at the end an AI Conference at the Ritz Carlton in Washington
DC, some special guests accompanied me as I sought out the baby grand
piano down the enormous hall. The MIT Whistleblower looked on as I
played and sang “Laura’s Song” which rose in my heart. I had recently
prayed at the Embassy of Russia located nearby concerning the war on
Ukraine.
Due to my own research I would learn of the agreement between the U.S. –
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Media Lab and the Russia – entity
Skolkovo Foundation, Media Lab. I’m left wondering who is fabricating the
design of micro weapons being used by the Kremlin today. Jeffrey
Epstein was funded by the billionaire owner of “Victoria’s Secret,” Les
Wexner of Ohio who also provided the Jets for Epstein’s guests who
accompanied him to the islands. Though 88 now, couldn’t he be
subpoenaed as a witness in the Whistleblower case ? Maybe a question
for Tulsi Gabbard.
Some years ago, I was invited by Russian born, Vera Danchenko- Stern
(Pianist and Vocal Coach at Peabody Institute and the Royal Conservatory
of Music) to accompany her to Moscow with students from the Washington
Opera and the New York Metropolitan Opera. We stayed at the Music
Conservatory in Moscow and were able to tour the seven churches in
Red Square. Her mission was to bring her excellence in performances in
her homeland including St. Petersburg at the American Embassy, where I
would MC the gathering. It was good to see the daughter of Congressman
Tom Lantos, Katrina and her husband, who hosted us in their role as United
States Ambassadors to Russia. I was recognized in association with the
“Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast, where the Congressman had
previously spoken for us about his family’s escape from Naziism in
Hungary. The evening had brightened with me playing the baby grand
piano and singing “I Ask For the Nations,” following the memorable time we
experienced that morning at The Hermitage Winter Palace.
Going back to the 1960’s Cold War, my friend Frances Gary Powers Jr. told
us the story of his father who was the “Operation Overflight” U-2 pilot who
was shot down over Russia as a guest speaker at “An American Jubilee”
recognizing Israel’s 50th anniversary as an nation.
In his book called “Spy Pilot” and the 2015 Steven Spielberg production of
“Bridge of Spies” he further demonstrates what his dad endured during his
capture, trial and 2 year imprisonment. When Powers was traded for four
Russian spies the first thing he asked his handlers to do was to see the
epic drama, Ben Hur about the life of Christ. He became employed by
KNBC TV doing recognizance reporting by helicopter after refusing to work
for the CIA at Lockheed Martin. Having run out of fuel, he died a hero’s
death when he crash landed to avoid killing children playing ball in Balboa
Park. Later it would be confirmed that the fuel gauge had been tampered
with. Today The Greenbrier, America’s Resort in White Sulphur Springs,
West Virginia has an underground bunker tour in which you can see the
declassified Congressional City for safety of our government officials during
times of Nuclear Threat.
I was honored to volunteer to help him establish the Cold War Museum
in Warrenton, Virginia. It was Gary Jr. who would tell me of my father’s
50th anniversary reunion of the 70th tank battalion of WWII which I
attended. U.S. Army Colonel Varhol wrote to me afterwards stating that it
had been his commission to find places of worship for the soldiers to attend
church services. He said, “More often than not we worshipped under the
trees of the forest to avoid being seen by the enemy aircraft in Germany. I
always saw your father in prayer on the front line beside General Taynton.“
In the Season of the Prince of Peace, let’s seriously pray on a massive
level for peace and against miscalculations and against war and Civil
Unrest.”
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