Russian Roulette

This week, Max and Maria were joined by military analysts Michael Kofman and Rob Lee to discuss the latest phase of the war in Ukraine. Max and Maria asked them for their thoughts on the ongoing Ukrainian offensive in Kursk, and whether or not this seizure of Russian territory by Kyiv exposes Russian threats of escalation as hollow. If they are hollow, does that mean Western "red lines" on certain kinds of aid to Ukraine should be reassessed?"Ukraine's Gamble: The Risks and Rewards of the Offensive Into Russia's Kursk Region" by Michael Kofman and Rob Lee (September 2, 2024 in Foreign Affairs)

Max and Maria sat down with Sam Bendett and Mick Ryan to discuss the Ukrainian military's recent seizure of territory in Kursk Oblast, inside Russia. They discussed how this attack took place, the risks and potential gains at stake for the Ukrainian side, and what this could all mean for the war going forward.Check out Mick's latest book, "The War for Ukraine: Strategy and Adaptation Under Fire." All royalties from the book will be donated to support the Ukrainian war effort.

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.