In Moscow's Shadows

284 Episodes

Reverse

In Moscow's Shadows 262: Jaw-Jaw Not Ending The War-War

2026-09-0648:04

I start with a round-up of current news stories: the Witkoff-Kushner peace mission that is likely heading nowhere, Zelensky's apparent threat to civil aviation that was likely more psyop than serious, and the SCO summit in Bishkek that was likely more significant than either of the above. (And medieval counterfeiting, for good measure...) In the second half, I look at Russia's drone strike on the SBU HQ in Kyiv and the signs of a SBU-GUR rivalry, driven by both politics and also the thriving ...

In Moscow's Shadows 261: Happy Days for Putin?

2026-08-3049:55

Everyone keeps diagnosing Putin’s mood, not least given the CIA Director’s visit to Moscow. Putin is angry, he's frightened, he's desperate -- that seems to be the standard Western talking point these days, and hence the fear that he might do something dangerously escalatory. But is he? Things might actually look rather more encouraging from his perspective. So, in this episode, I try and peer through the Kremlin's windows, to understand how he believes things are going, in war and potential ...

In Moscow's Shadows 260: Digging (Relics) For Victory

2026-08-2350:46

The war seems to be getting (even) nastier, in part perhaps - and this may be over-optimistic - as both sides seen an endgame almost in sight, as well as out of growing desperation on both sides. The desperation even extends to digging up Prince Dmitri Donskoi's bones for propaganda purposes. Then again, in the second half this gives me an excuse to talk about a couple of archaeological stories that have no real political importance, but interested me... The episode of the Peacemonger podcast...

In Moscow's Shadows 259: A Bite Out Of The Apple

2026-08-1649:36

When the Kremlin changed its mind and decided to ban the opposition party Yabloko (Apple) from running in September's elections, it demonstrated its concern that this could become the new vessel of the 'coalition of the fed-up.' After all, this seeming no-hoper party was suddenly being boosted by a guerrilla meme campaign and looked as if it might even cross the 5% threshold to get into the Duma. This could not be allowed. The Kremlin is not frightened of Yabloko winning, it is frightened of ...

In Moscow's Shadows 258: The Ukraine War and Russia's Khaki Election

2026-08-0947:09

Ukraine’s long-range campaign against Russia is no longer just about spectacular refinery fires. When Kyiv pivots towards softer targets like logistics hubs, it can hit morale, prices, and everyday life in ways that pure military targets do not. It is also a reminder of the innovation cycle in the war: Ukraine shifts tactics, Russia adapts, and both sides hunt for the next gap in air defences and the next pressure point that the public cannot ignore. What is the political intent behind these ...

#box-pro-ellipsis-178986729893247{-webkit-line-clamp:2;}In Moscow's Shadows