In the bunker with Darth Putin

This is our first episode in the monthly series on Belarus.  You'll gain insights into Belarusian domestic politics as we discuss how our guy is running the country, relying on his family and the network of "mini-garchs.". According to Wikipedia, he is the "longest-serving European president." That's one way to put it. Tune in and learn more about our lovely dictator's adventures.  On a more serious note, there are over 1,300 political prisoners, political repressions continue as we speak, and my home country is at its biggest political crisis in its modern history. More on this in the upcoming episodes. Subscribe to our Patreon/IntheBunkerwithDarth to get fast access to our newest episodes and to ask questions to the Master Strategist.   Yours truly, Katie from Minsk    

In this episode, Ben Wittes agrees to serve as a token for the gender equality balance, as he is the second male guest in our podcast series. On a more serious note, we're discussing Trump’s trials and how they'll impact the 2024 elections. While Darth’s parody plots to bring the bad guy back to the White House, we are discussing the unfavorable consequences for U.S. foreign policy if that happens. Follow Ben’s work on www.lawfaremedia.org and on Instagram at instagram.com/benjaminwittes, as he was blocked on Twitter for mischief. We hope you like our talk, as we shed some light on why it happened and dive into the details of Ben’s challenge to fight Putin, “Any Time, Any Place He Can't Have Me Arrested.”   Consider supporting us on patreon.com/IntheBunkerwithDarth, Yours truly, Katie twitter.com/kshmatsina

Darth & I are joined in bunker by Natalia Antonova.  Natalia is an OSINT researcher, writer, playwright and close watcher of Russia.  Based in DC, she's from Ukraine but also lived in Moscow for a number of years.   Listen and learn about Russian homo-romanticism, as opposed to homo eroticism, incels who hate women but love Putin, techbros who love Putin and sex offenders who also lvoe Putin.  There's a fair few double meanings and Darth pointing out and important spelling point.

In this episode Darth is joined by Maria Snegovaya.  Maria is a post doc at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service, a Senior Fellow with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a Fellow at the Illiberalism Studies Program at George Washington University. More interesting, the Kremlin declared her a foreign agent so Darth and her discuss Russian public opinion, what they think and know and the crazy stuff the Kremlin believes. She decided to choose a drink not on the menu, presumably thinking she'd have a better chance of survival

In this episode Darth and I joined by Minna Ålander, an expert on both Finland and Germany as well as Arctic security.  We talk about German relations with Russia, nuclear blackmail, how China is apparently an arctic nation, and Macron's recent statements about the war.  Darth insisted that Minna decide between tea, sushi and perfume. Katie: @kshmatsina Minna: @minna_alander Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IntheBunkerwithDarth

In this Episode Darth and I talk about the election results and how it was a real cliffhanger.  We talk a little about what this might mean in future and what the prospects are for Russia becoming a democracy (spoiler, not much).  We recap some of the events this week aside from the voting theatre and then introduce the Patreon we're gonna be loading these future epsides to.

This episode is just Darth and I.  We talk about Parody Putin's adress to the Duma, Medvedev's comrade Mao jacket with the buttons that can barely take the strain, and most of all, Darth's new book. Follow me: @kshmatsina There's also a Patreon: click here for more details.

In this episode Darth & I are joined in the bunker by Jade McGlynn, an author & research fellow from King's College London.  Her books "Memory Makers" and "Russia's War" discuss how Russians see the war in Ukraine and how Russians see their own history nd we dig into these in the pod.  We also also talk how the Kremlin uses and abuses this and why it's not just Putin's war but Russia's war.  Darth askes Jade about the Kremlin's peculiar obsession with the "Anglo-Saxons" despite how the Russian elite keep their wealth and mistresses in the evil West. Follow Jade: @DrJadeMcGlynn Katie: @kshmatsina Note:  This episode was re-upped after being professionally edited by some an elitist with access to imperialist western technology.

In our first, formal episode, Darth & I are joined by the former president of Estonia, Toomas Hendrick Ilves, who gives us his take on the state of the war, Western Europe's almost willful lack of understanding of Russia, the selection process for head of NATO, what Medvedev is like in person, how Estonia became a success after de-occupation, and how he's that rare thing—a President of Estonia who didn't end up being murdered by the Kremlin. Once he leaves (by the nearest window), me and Darth have a quick chat about western academics and ceasefires. We have a Patreon now and will be adding some exclusive perks for the subscribers. https://www.patreon.com/IntheBunkerwithDarth My (Katie) twitter is @Kshmatsina

Welcome to the "In the Bunker With Darth" Podcast.  In this intro I introduce myself (Darth needs no introduction) and we talk about what the pod will be about, master strategy and why it's all going to plan.  We also discuss the new book that's about to be released, why some academics get Russia so wrong & refuse to admit when you can learn plenty about the Kremlin by just listening to what they tell you. Darth also points out that while I have a very rare "get out of the gulag free" card, I only have one but I am wanted in two countries, Russia & Belarus so I have to be careful. We've started a Patreon: click here for more details.