In Moscow's Shadows 167: Shoigu Redux
While the Security Council itself is having its time wasted with trivia, new Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has been busy. How has he survived (is it the shaman connection? It is not), and w...
21 Sep 202447min
In Moscow's Shadows 166: Raider Nation, a quick news round-up
I still haven't decided how/if to continue with these mid-week quickfire podcasts picking up on some news stories that catch my eye, but in the meantime, there's a divorce/business shootout in Moscow,...
18 Sep 202418min
In Moscow's Shadows 165: Prince Bogdoi, Information Logjams and Public-Private Empire
What may a misadventure from 17th century Russian imperial history tell us about modern Russia? Why, about the perils of information logjams and public-private empires! Details of the Pushkin House e...
15 Sep 202458min
In Moscow's Shadows 164: From Ballots to Babies, a quick news round-up
As promised, a quickfire interim episode covering some of the past week's stories, from drones over Moscow and reactions to the US presidential debate to regional elections and planning for babies... ...
12 Sep 202425min
In Moscow's Shadows 163: The Importance of Optimism (even when it comes to Russia)
I spin off two recent books, Elena Kostychenko's, I Love Russia. Reporting from a lost country and Sergei Medvedev's A War Made in Russia, both of which are excellent in their own terms, but also demo...
8 Sep 202450min
In Moscow's Shadows 162: Lavrov's (Living) Obituary
Empty rumours of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's death on the internet yesterday, got me thinking about his shrinking role, and the twilight of Russia's technocrats. Besides, he is already po...
1 Sep 202447min
In Moscow's Shadows 161: What's Going On in Russian Prisons?
After another armed hostage taking by inmates (and bloody response), I consider what’s going on in Russia’s prisons, and what it may tell us about what’s happening in Russia as a whole. And in the las...
25 Aug 202455min
In Moscow's Shadows 160: Kursk as Political Actor and Allegory
As Ukraine's Kursk incursion rumbles on, what does it tell us about the political processes in Russia behind the warfighting? From how Russians really aren't apathetic and however low their expectatio...
18 Aug 202458min
