In Moscow's Shadows 91: Russian Fantasies - Putin's address to the nation and the lessons from Russian science fiction
Putin has finally set a date for his annual address to the Federal Assembly, 21 February. He will likely try to tread the balance between scaring and reassuring his audience, but it takes place at a t...
11 Feb 202353min
In Moscow's Shadows 90: A Murder in Donbas Evokes the 90s and Putin Cosplays the 40s
The apparent hit on a Russian rightist, propagandist, and self-styled "swindler and mercenary" raises a range of questions about coordination in the Russian forces, the role of Evgeny Prigozhin and R...
5 Feb 202350min
In Moscow's Shadows 89: Tanks, the New Patriotic War and the Strelkov-Prigozhin Spat
What does it mean that Western-designed tanks will now be supplied to Ukraine, and what - if any - potential responses does Putin have? At the very least, it will be used to hammer home the new notion...
29 Jan 202357min
In Moscow's Shadows 88: Enter Gerasimov
So what might it mean for Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov to be made the new overall commander of Russian operations in Ukraine? I suspect Putin is impatient for some kind of victory - and if Ger...
12 Jan 202347min
In Moscow's Shadows 87: War, Politics and Putin's New Year's Address
A collection of topics: Putin's rather bellicose New Year Address and what to make of it, the limits of Russian politics, what to make of Medvedev's and Prigozhin's bizarre statements, and some good n...
1 Jan 202354min
In Moscow's Shadows 86: Russian Rumours and Cognitive Biases
Is Putin contemplating fleeing to Venezuela? Is Medvedev more powerful than Patrushev? Does it make sense to decolonise Russia? Is a maverick spook spilling the beans on Putin's personal life? As a la...
10 Dec 202235min
In Moscow's Shadows 85: War and Peace (and how both are changing)
What broader lessons about the changing nature of war, peace and power can we draw from the Russo-Ukrainian conflict? A more conceptual and rambling episode than usual...The Meduza article on FSO poll...
4 Dec 202255min
In Moscow's Shadows 84: Putin the History (Abuse) Man
My own contribution to the current discussion about how Putin tries to use and abuse history, and how he doesn't even get Russian history right.And, after the break, the costs of the war to Russia and...
20 Nov 202259min
