Yevgenia Albats

Yevgenia Albats, a Russian investigative journalist and close friend of Aleksei Navalny, reflects on the profound impact of Navalny's sudden death on the opposition in Russia. She discusses his journey as a political force, his grassroots campaigning, and the personal sacrifices he made against an authoritarian regime. Albats also highlights the leadership vacuum left behind and the resilience of his supporters, especially the youth, who are determined to continue fighting for democracy despite the challenges they face.

Former BBC Moscow Correspondent and author of Putin: His Life and Times, Philip Short, discusses how war weakened strongman Putin on this episode. They explore Putin's aggressive history, his invasion of Ukraine, and his perspective on the war. They also touch on the parade celebrating Ukrainian independence and Ukrainian President Zelensky's policies and challenges with oligarchs.