In Moscow's Shadows 7: Technocrats and Cultural Warriors, and Why I'd Vote No In the Constitutional Plebiscite
Having talked about Security Council secretary Patrushev in the last podcast, he and most of the other heads of the security agency chiefs suddenly seem uncharacteristically newsworthy - and they are ...
22 Juni 202024min
In Moscow's Shadows 6: The Most Dangerous Man in Russia
Who could be the most dangerous man in Russia? A president? An ideologue? A kleptocrat? A gangster? None of those, in my opinion...If anyone is interested in the Argumenty i Fakty article I mention, i...
14 Juni 202023min
In Moscow's Shadows Cellcast: 7 June 2020: A Plot in Prague, The Murders That Weren't
What to make of the Czech Republic's bizarre 'ricin case' whereby a Russian diplomat was accused of being part of an assassination plot that turned out to be fake - but still got expelled? I honestly ...
14 Juni 20209min
In Moscow's Shadows 5: Disinformation (and deep-cover spies and Libya)
Does Russia use disinformation as a weapon against the West? Yes. But is this a constant and carefully coordinated campaign? Not so much: this episode, I outline how I think this really works, and how...
2 Juni 202027min
In Moscow's Shadows Cellcast: 25 May 2020: Gangsters, SMEs and Covid economic policy
As an extra initiative, I've decided from time to time to record very short 'cellcasts' riffing off some article or piece of news. They will go out to patrons right away, and more general access a wee...
1 Juni 20206min
In Moscow's Shadows 4: Vorontsov, Police Protests and Community Action (plus 'late Putinism', spooks and Western policy)
Why should we care about police protests against the victimisation of an ex-cop activist? I suggest it says some interesting things about community and the protest habit in modern Russia. I also tackl...
18 Maj 202039min
In Moscow's Shadows 3: Victory Day, National Myths and Patron's Questions
What more can be said about Victory Day and how the Kremlin seeks to co-opt the myth and memory of the Great Patriotic War to its own purposes? I have a go. Also, Patron's questions answered, on China...
9 Maj 202038min
In Moscow's Shadows 2: Mishustin, Sechin, Institutional vs Personal Power
Prime Minister Mishustin is self-isolating with COVID-19 symptoms, and Andrei Belousov is standing in for him, But how does the prime minister really matter in a hyper-presidential system like Putin's...
2 Maj 202032min
