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In Moscow's Shadows 206: Corruption, Putinism's Achilles' Heel Jun 29, 2025

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After some thoughts about the recent NATO summit in The Hague, I focus on the perennial challenge of corruption. Even Russian officials are admitting it is again on the rise, and becoming more predatory, While there is a regular litany of middle-ranking officials charged and sentenced, there is no political will to tackle grand corruption at the top of the system -- and declining capacity to combat its resurgence at the bottom. What does all this mean for the system?

The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr, which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations.
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 to exclusive extra materials including the (almost-) weekly Govorit Moskva news briefing right here.

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In Moscow's Shadows 205: The Peace Crisis that faces Russia after the Ukraine War Jun 22, 2025

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There is a range of serious practical problems that an end to the war in Ukraine -- whenever that may be -- will pose for the Kremlin. However, if the Soviet war in Afghanistan is any comparison, arguably every bit as important will be the narratives, how people frame the war and use it to attack or defend Putin's regime. I feel this is a political challenge they are not well suited to master.

My report Trouble at home: Russia's looming demobilization challenge can be downloaded from the Global Initiative site here.

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In Moscow's Shadows 204: The Opportunity and the Threat, Moscow and Iran, Moscow and the West Jun 15, 2025

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In the first half, I explore what the eruption of open conflict between Israel and Iran means for Russia. Will Putin be tempted to throw Iran under the bus? He certainly has much more scope and reason to do so than in 2022-24.

In the second half, I climb onto my soapbox to consider -- criticise -- some recent rhetoric about the Russian threat and bemoan the lack of dialogue, especially military-to-military contacts, with praise for the wargame Littoral Commander: the Baltics (Dietz Foundation) and David Fields & Robert Avery’s book The Royal And Russian Navies. Cooperation, Competition & Confrontation (Manchester UP).

The Spectator piece I mentioned is here.

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In Moscow's Shadows 203: Can Putin Afford To End The War? Jun 08, 2025

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A pervasive argument is that for reasons personal, political or economic, Putin simply cannot afford to end his war: that he needs the excuse for tyranny, or that his economy would stagnate. I dig into these and other claims, and - spoiler alert - conclude that Putin could certainly afford to end the war... but that there are enough challenges to peace that he may not dare to.

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In Moscow's Shadows 202: What Is This Resilience Thing Anyway? May 29, 2025

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An IMS on a Thursday? Although I'm still not quite yet over the cold that stopped me recording on Sunday, as I can't record next Sunday, needs must...

In the first part, I look at recent development around Ukraine. Then, in the second, I look at the recent 'electoral wargame' held by Conducttr and spin off that more broadly to consider the challenges of 'resiliency' in a political sense (rather than infrastructure, etc)

Robert Hall's book is here.

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In Moscow's Shadows 201: Peacetalkers and Warfighters May 18, 2025

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Negotiations (of a sort) in Istanbul: a real engagement or just a piece of theatre? The answer, of course, is a bit of both.

And what can one read into the elevation of Colonel General Mordvichev as the new commander of Russian Ground Forces?

The link to the Conducttr wargame I mention is here.

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In Moscow's Shadows 200: Victory Day (whose?) May 11, 2025

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The 200th episode! Hard to believe.

After briefly assessing Putin's late-night offer of talks with Kyiv, I dig into the Victory Day parade and what it means, especially from an international angle, and how it was part of a love letter to Xi Jinping.

The events I mentioned next week in Prague are at CEVRO University, the Institute of International Relations and the Prague Book Festival, with the launch of Zrozeni z Války, the Czech translation of my book Forged in War.

The forthcoming events page on my blog is here.

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In Moscow's Shadows 199: the General in GenPop May 04, 2025

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General Ivan Popov, once hailed as one of the heroes and rising stars of the Russian army, has just been sentenced to 5 years in a general regime penal colony on what seem questionable charges. What brought down this 'fighting general' -- and what does it tell us about late Putinism and the potential nationalist critique of the regime?

The sign-up page for the Conducttr info-political wargame I mentioned is here.

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In Moscow's Shadows 198: War (in Russia's underworld) and Peace (in Ukraine)? Apr 27, 2025

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In the first half, I consider the latest twists in the saga of the US-pushed 'ceasefire' plan. Has Trump has an epiphany in the Vatican, or will Kyiv still face a choice of evils?

In the second, I draw a line between the gunning down of a mobster in Tbilisi with the twilight of Putinism, through leaking roofs and the likelihood of mob wars.

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In Moscow's Shadows 197: Russia's future fascist turn? Apr 20, 2025

Show notes

An intemperate recent interview from Foreign Minister Lavrov, at which he warned that 'fifth columnists' within the elite wanted to hand Russia to the West on a platter, is typical of a new tome of populist nationalism that got me wondering. Putin's Russia is often called 'fascist' but this is a label of dubious accuracy. Are there hints that Russia could turn fascist? I still think this will not happen, but it is something worth exploring.

The Bell, by the way, is here.

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