In Moscow's Shadows

In Moscow's Shadows 132: A View from the Provinces

Jan 28, 2024

Explore the overlooked provinces of Russia through the lens of the Komi Republic. Understand grassroots propaganda, socioeconomic conditions, and political marginalization in this resource-dependent region. Learn about discrediting the army, controversial trials, risks and surveillance, and the importance of publicizing resistance and engaging with regional findings in Russia.

48:56

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Studying Russia solely from a Moscow-centric perspective overlooks important regional dynamics and trends.

Despite political apathy, individuals and civil society groups in the Komi Republic find ways to express dissent and bring about local change.

Deep dives

The Importance of Focusing on Russia's Regions

This podcast episode highlights the need to pay attention to Russia's regions, shifting the focus away from Moscow and St. Petersburg. It emphasizes that studying Russia solely from a Moscow-centric perspective is problematic, as it overlooks important regional dynamics and trends. The importance of outlets like Bear Market Brief, which specifically analyze and explore regional matters, is acknowledged. By examining a report on grassroots propaganda and repression in the Komi Republic, the episode delves into the political and social situation in this region and extrapolates insights that may apply to other parts of Russia as well.

Introduction

6min

Socioeconomic Conditions and Political Marginalization in Resource-dependent Region

5min

Discrediting the Army: Regional Disparities and Casualties

9min

A Controversial Trial and International Solidarity

4min

Risks and Surveillance in Expressing Concerns in Russia

21min

The Importance of Publicizing Resistance and Engaging with Regional Findings in Russia

4min

Barring particularly high-profile developments, we tend to look at Russia through the prism of Moscow (and maybe St Petersburg). How good a picture does this give us? To try and redress the balance, I use a recent Association D'Est report on 'Grassroots Propaganda and Repression in Russia's Komi Republic' to consider some of the wider lessons about protest and resistance in the provinces...

The D'Est webage is here, and you can learn more about the Bear Market brief here (substack) and here (podcast).

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 right here.

Support the show

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode