This week, Maria sat down with investigative journalists Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan. Andrei and Irina gave their analysis of the recent high-profile Russia-West prisoner swap, and also discussed the threat of Russian hybrid attacks on Western countries. Additionally, they described the complex relationship between the Russian state and the Russian community in emigration, and outlined how the Kremlin views Russian émigrés as both a threat, and a potential source of intelligence opportunities.

 Max and Maria sat down with Jade McGlynn to discuss her recent report for CSIS, "Crossing Thresholds: Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Occupation.""Crossing Thresholds: Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Occupation," by Jade McGlynn on CSIS.org. "The Ukrainian resistance is torching Putin's dreams of conquest," by Jade McGlynn for The Telegraph.

Dmitri Alperovitch, Chairman of Silverado Policy Institute, discusses strategic implications of Taiwan, failure to deter invasion in Ukraine, perceptions of American weakness in foreign relations, and strategies for victory in the new Cold War against China. The conversation emphasizes the importance of alliances, deterrence, and managing policies towards China and Russia to strengthen global containment strategies.

Sanctions expert Eddie Fishman and economist Sergey Aleksashenko discuss the impact of US Treasury sanctions on Russia's war machine, strategies to undermine Kremlin's oil revenues, recent reshuffling in Russian elites, G7's proposal on leveraging Russian bank reserves for Ukraine, and using Russian central bank reserves to support Ukraine.

Experts Hanna Notte and Jon B. Alterman delve into how Russia and Iran are intensifying their collaboration post-Ukraine invasion. They discuss Russia's growing involvement in the Middle East through military partnerships with Iran, learning from Iran's sanctions evasion tactics, analyzing the impact of the Iranian president's death on relations, and Russia's strategic response to the Gaza conflict. The episode also explores complex perceptions of Russia and the United States in the region and speculates on the future trajectory of the Russia-Iran relationship.

Maria sat down with Russian independent journalist and author Mikhail Zygar, and University of Oxford professor Christopher Davis, to discuss the recent string of anti-corruption charges at the Russian Ministry of Defense, and the replacement of Sergei Shoigu with Andrei Belousov at the ministry’s head. What does all this mean for the current composition of the Russian elite, and what impact will these changes have on the Russian war effort in Ukraine?Please check out Mikhail Zygar's Substack, "The Last Pioneer."

 On May 2, 2024, Maria sat down with Michael Kimmage and Mary Elise Sarotte to discuss Michael's newest book, "Collisions the Origins of the War in Ukraine, and the New Global Instability.""Collisions" is available for purchase from Oxford University Press.

For today's special bonus episode, Max sat down with Tinatin Japaridze and Eto Buziashvili to discuss the ongoing protests taking place in Georgia. Georgian civil society is mobilizing yet again in opposition to the controversial "foreign agents" law being pushed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Tina Dolbaia and Nick Fenton, research associates at CSIS, dive deep into the state of Russia's defense industry amid ongoing conflict. They highlight the crucial impact of Chinese support on Russian military capabilities. The discussion underscores the urgent need for increased assistance to Ukraine, revealing the complexities of sanctions and their effectiveness. Insights also focus on the shifting production strategies within Russia and the vital military aid required for Ukraine's resilience against mounting challenges.

On this week's episode, Max and Maria sat down with Roman Dobrokhotov, the founder and editor-in-chief of the Russia-focused investigative media outlet, The Insider. Roman's team, along with colleagues at CBS's 60 Minutes and the German outlet Der Spiegel, recently concluded an investigation that uncovered evidence potentially linking Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, with the health incidents impacting U.S. government officials and their families that have come to be known as "Havana Syndrome."Show Notes: "Unraveling Havana Syndrome: New evidence links the GRU's assassination Unit 29155 to mysterious attacks on U.S. officials and their families" by Roman Dobrokhotov, Christo Grozev, and Michael Weiss (The Insider)