In Moscow's Shadows

Another short 'cellcast', going out directly to my Patrons, and to everyone else a week later. In this cellcast, recorded on 24 November, I look at the Orthodox, nationalist businessman Konstantin Malofeev and his new Tsargrad political party. In and of itself, it will not really become a threat to the Kremlin - nor is it meant as such - but the rise of nationalist politics not stage-man...

An introduction to the Russian underworld and, especially, three problematic concepts - the 'honest thief,' the 'thieves' world' and the 'mafia state' - to kick off a series of segments about aspects of Russian criminality. And in the second part, why the rest of Russia doesn't share Ramzan Kadyrov's hostility to Captain America. You can also follow my...

After a few very brief observations on the US elections and the implications of a Biden presidency, a look at the SVR, its operations, role, culture and political ambitions of its director, Sergei Naryshkin (which I also discuss here ). Then, in the second part, I take apart the rumours about Putin's supposed imminent resignation for reasons of ill-health - and muse on why we still have to li...

Another short 'cellcast', going out directly to my Patrons, and to everyone else a week later. A rant, plain and simple. Sparked by the article 'The Narcissism of The New York Times’ Foreign Coverage' in the magazine The Tablet (you can read it here ), I grumble intemperately about Western - and yes, primarily US - coverage of Russia. That's certainly not to say all US cov...

In the first In Moscow's Shadows to have a guest, I talk to Anna Arutunyan, analyst and writer on Russia (her The Putin's Mystique is well worth a read if you don't already know it) on her recent article in Foreign Affairs ( here ) on Russia's proposed anti-interference pact, and the question of sanctions and command and control of Moscow's meddling in general. In the seco...

Russia has long considered the so-called 'Near Abroad' of post-Soviet states to be its sphere of influence. But does it really have the will to assert hegemony? I'd suggest that it does not, in a whistle-stop tour from Belarus to Central Asia. In the second part, I look at some books that are new, or new to me, and think are worth highlighting: Tom Burgis, Kleptopia (William Collins...

Sergei Naryshkin, the director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and chair of the Russian Historical Society, has been a busy man this past week, involving himself in everything from Belarus to Medieval Tula (and schmoozing with Putin's ex-bodyguard in the process). Why the sudden desire to be in the media? Generally, when people like Naryshkin lay out their stall, it's because t...

I take a general look at Russian military intelligence, the fearsome GRU (OK, GU for purists), what it is and does and what it isn't and doesn't... And in the second part, I consider why it seems so hard for some people - Surkov, Levrov, and others - to leave government service. Why is it so hard to say goodbye? You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows , and become one of th...

A short cellcast 'mini-podcast' released in this case simultaneously to Patrons and publicly. Recording this was, frankly, triggered by exasperation that so many were leaping aboard the 'Question More' bandwagon about the Navalny poisoning and following in the twisty and toxic trail of the Russian state propagandists in desperately trying to poke holes in the story rather than...

What is going on with Putin and his regime? Less of a distinct answer to that question, and more a pondering of what we can read into the mishandling of a series of recent events, from the Navalny poisoning to Belarus, I discuss why I think Russia is likely at a crossroads, but one where I am unsure where the roads necessarily lead... And after the break, I riff off the widespread practice of plag...

Released on 6 September to Patrons, public release later. A snapshot of the three key figures within Belarus's security structures: the new head of the KGB, the Interior Minister and the (newish) Defence Minister Support the show

Trying (it turns out in vain) to avoid the present inevitable concentration on Navalny and Belarus, I discuss two forms of power. What the creation and current role, status and business activities of the National Guard tell us about Russian politics (and economics). And, in response to questions from Patron Callum Christie, quite why the Kremlin is so determined to believe the EU has no real power...

What makes Alexei Navalny so dangerous for Putin's regime? This short 'cellcast' was provided to patrons of the podcast ( https://www.patreon.com/join/InMoscowsShadows ) on 22 August 2020, and general access a week later. Support the show

Rumours abound amidst the Belarusian revolution. Why do I think that's a particular problem now? Because, as it looks like the revolution is moving from its protest to politics phase, the scope for information operations on every side gets all the greater - and their potential impact all the more dangerous. The Raam op Rusland article I mention is here . This is one of the short 'cellcas...

Belarus is in turmoil. Why did Lukashenka award himself such an implausible 80% of the vote> How does Moscow see the current crisis, and what might it do about it?  This is one of the short 'cellcasts' offered as an early bonus for Patrons of the podcast (www.patreon.com/inmoscowsshadows) and usually released publicly a week later. However, given the situation, and at the suggestion o...

The release of a long-awaited report on Russian influence in the UK provides a chance to look at why Moscow tries - and often fails - to exert influence, and why the Kremlin seems to default to aggressive, bullying words and deeds. Be warned, I spend more time on my soap box in this episode than I should. For my other writings on this report: ' The weakness of the Russia report ' - a qui...

There is more to Putin's regime than his capacity to threaten and unleash violence - but this is a crucial element, and as his legitimacy wanes, this may come to the fore. Thrones of bayonets are uncomfortable, though, and so today I consider the mood of the police and other security forces, and what scope the opposition may have in wooing, or at least neutralising them. In a short second par...

The big story is the constitutional vote, but I honestly have nothing new to say about that, so instead I take three controversial court cases - Kirill Serebrennikov the director, Colonel Miniakhmetov the investigator, and the alleged (and unlikely) "terrorists" of the Set' (Network) group - and explore what they say about power and performative repression in Russia. Indeed, the &ap...

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 playing one of two roles, either the trusty technocrat or the cultural warrior. Why so? If anyone is interested, the Patrushev article I cite is here and Putin's is here . You can also follow my...

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, it's here . In addition, a short paper I wrote on the Security Council is here . You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows , and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons an...

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 don't have the answer, but Patron Zuzana Ouhrabková asked for my take, so here it is... Support the show

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 the Kremlin's use of "narrative entrepreneurs" can and does backfire. Meanwhile, I keep hunting for the right metaphor... You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows , and be...

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 week later. This one, from 25 May 2020, looks at yesterday's armed brawl in a southern Moscow courtyard and considers if it has implications for Russia's economic policy in the c...

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 tackle another trio on patrons' questions: on "late Putinism," generational change in the security services, and Western policy... You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows , and...

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, cybercrime and the Paul Whelan affair. You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows , and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access...