In Moscow's Shadows 106: The Spooky Side of Prigozhin's Mutiny
A shorter episode, because there is still so much about the causes, course and consequences of Prigozhin's mutiny that we still don't know. Instead, I focus in on the spook side: what were the FSB, FS...
2 Jul 202337min
In Moscow's Shadows 105: Prigozhin's Mutiny
Prigozhin's mutiny... or, 36 hours of what-the-hell? It's too close for a really judicious take on this weekend's hijinks, but first thoughts on why Prigozhin did it, what happened, and what this all ...
25 Jun 202350min
In Moscow's Shadows 104: Paranormal Putinism
After the usual quick run-through of war-related news, I consider the rise of mysticism and occultism not just in Putin's circle, but Russia as a whole. Tales of rituals in the Kremlin; the Communist ...
20 Jun 202346min
In Moscow's Shadows 103: The Rise of the Princeling Patrushev, the Grey Cardigan
After the inevitable quick look at the Ukrainian counter-offensive (too little to say really about the operation on the ground, but some points to make about the political context), I drill down into ...
11 Jun 202336min
In Moscow's Shadows 102: The Wolf that Only Howls: the Chechens in Ukraine
A spat between Wagner's Prigozhin and Chechnya's Kadyrov provides a good opportunity to look at the role of the Chechens in the Ukraine War - or, rather, just how small a role they are playing. Why is...
4 Jun 202338min
In Moscow's Shadows 101: Phoney Wars and Rising Stars
Bakhmut has (probably, kinda) fallen and Belgorod raided. The first is hardly a real defeat for Ukraine nor a real victory for Moscow. The latter may prove more significant, not so much for the raid i...
28 Mai 202349min
In Moscow's Shadows 100: All the News That's Fit to Print (in Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
As a change from the usual, I look through the top six news items currently on the website of Rossiiskaya Gazeta, the main government newspaper of record, on today, Sunday 14 May. What can one learn a...
14 Mai 202334min
In Moscow's Shadows 99: All Hail the Tsar? Why Putinism has suffered from becoming monarchical
It's an easy journalistic shorthand to hall Putin a new tsar (I've done it myself), but what might it mean? Coronation weekend in the UK seems a fitting time to consider the pitfalls for Putinism of i...
7 Mai 202345min
