Podcast Episodes

In Moscow's Shadows 216: What Security Guarantees for Ukraine Might Work?

Episode 216

Zelensky said on Friday that "the basic document on security guarantees for Ukraine, and therefore for the whole of our Europe, is practically ready." I suspect this may be a stretch, but it is worth…

Published on 7 hours ago

In Moscow's Shadows 215: A Tale of Two Coups

Episode 215

The 1991 August Coup and the 1993 October Coup are oddities, at once still very current in Russia, yet also veiled in myth and self-deception. Why? I'll argue is that together, they inadvertently pav…

Published on 1 week ago

In Moscow's Shadows 214: Law and Lawlessness in Late Putinism (or, Late Brezhnevism redux)

Episode 214

The FSB is trumpeting its arrests of Ukrainian saboteurs and demanding more surveillance powers. Prosecutor General Krasnov is set to become the chair of the Supreme Court. Figures have been released…

Published on 2 weeks ago

In Moscow's Shadows 213: Foreign Agents in Russia, Foreigners in Ukraine...

Episode 213

After a brief comment on the frozen peace process, I look at the case of Sergei Markov, voluble Kremlin loyalist, who has just been declared a Foreign Agents. What's going on - he seems to have been …

Published on 3 weeks ago

In Moscow's Shadows 212: War and Peace and Alaska

Episode 212

Alaska was owned by Russia - was the summit also? Where is the world after the Alaska summit? Putin won, but did Trump really lose (I'd suggest not really, because his interests are not that opposed)…

Published on 4 weeks ago

In Moscow's Shadows 211: Trump, Putin, Alaska...

Episode 211

So Trump and Putin are meeting in Alaska on Friday. Are we on the brink of peace in Ukraine or another mess? I wish I could be more optimistic.

The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr…

Published on 1 month ago

In Moscow's Shadows 210: Is Russia Being Sentenced To The Digital Gulag?

Episode 210

With calls for WhatsApp to be banned and searching for 'extremist' material punishable by fines, there is much talk of a 'North Koreanisation' of Russia, of a 'digital gulag.' After a first half look…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

In Moscow's Shadows 209: Eagle, Dragon, Bear - how the Ukraine war drives Moscow into Beijing's orbit

Episode 209

In the first half, I offer a (rather pessimistic) assessment of not just Trump's 50-day ultimatum but also recent EU and UK sanctions, before pivoting to explore how the US president has inadvertentl…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

In Moscow's Shadows 208: 5 Million Downloads and Counting! A Q&A Compilation

Episode 208

In Moscow's Shadows has crossed the 5 million downloads barrier! This happens to coincide with this being an episode in which I tackle Patrons' questions on everything from why Russians fight and Chi…

Published on 2 months ago

In Moscow's Shadows 207: What Is Going On Between Baku and Moscow?

In one corner, Azerbaijan's Ilhan Aliev, in the other, Russia's Vladimir Putin, two autocrats locked in an increasingly acrimonious political conflict sparked by, of all things, the arrest of some ga…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago