Emily Hoge

Emily Hoge, a historian at Clemson University and contributor to Lawfare, delves into the troubling intersection of Russian organized crime and the war in Ukraine. She explains how the recruitment of violent prisoners for frontline service distorts the social contract Putin promised. Hoge highlights the rising crime as returning veterans face reintegration challenges, altering public safety perceptions. The conversation also examines the state's uneasy relationship with organized crime and the potential for renewed chaos reminiscent of the 1990s.