Has Putinism Failed? A Conversation with...

This week, Max spoke with Michael Kimmage about the recent headlines connected to Russia and Ukraine, and what they mean for the coming months. "The Limits of Putin's Balancing Act: What the Kremlin Will Sacrifice in Pursuit of Victory in Ukraine," by Michael Kimmage and Maria Li ... Show More

Max and Maria are joined by Richard Giragosian and Jeffrey Mankoff to talk about the current geopolitical moment in the South Caucasus, with a particular focus on the dynamics at play in the relationships between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. This conversation was recorded on ... Show More

Max moderated a live panel discussion with Maria, and two leading experts on the Russian economy, Elina Ribakova and Vladislav Inozemtsev. The conversation focused on the findings of the recent report from the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, "The Russian Wartime Economy ... Show More

Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region of Russia represented another sign that Vladimir Putin’s invasion is not going to plan. But numerous setbacks, and the sanctions regime imposed by the west, have so far failed to loosen the Russian leader’s grip on power. Gideon discusses ... Show More

Kremlin says President Putin has visited a command post in the Kursk region, where Russia has been retaking territory seized by Ukraine last year. Also: Pakistan train hijack over, and 100 days with a titanium heart. 

Ukraine claimed responsibility for the explosion in Moscow that killed General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s nuclear-protection forces. 

Andrei Illarionov is a Russian economist and public figure. He served as a senior policy advisor to Vladimir Putin from 2000 to 2005 but later became a vocal critic of Putin's administration. Follow Andrei on X: https://x.com/AnIllarionov SPONSOR. Go to https://get.stash.com/trig ... Show More

On Monday, Ukraine used western long range missiles inside the territory of Russia for the first time, prompting a slew of both cheers and jeers throughout the world. Some people are happy that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are taking the fight to their enemy’s soil, others are terr ... Show More

Leaders of the notorious Russian mercenary group Wagner are believed to have died in a plane crash north of Moscow just a few months after what appears to have been a rebellion against Russian president Vladimir Putin. Fyre Festival returns, with no sign of Ja Rule. In a big week ... Show More

Stephen Sackur speaks to Vladimir Kara-Murza, the anti-Putin activist who was twice poisoned, then imprisoned in Russia. He was freed in a prisoner swap last summer, and is now lobbying the West to intensify the pressure on the Kremlin. But is there any reason to believe Putin is ... Show More

Elon Musk’s SpaceX rescues stricken astronauts from outer space - as protesters attack Teslas and the courts battle DOGE here on planet earth.Israel launches a brutal assault on Gaza as the US-brokered ceasefire collapses.Plenty to debate. But we begin with a fragile breakthrough ... Show More

Ukraine’s surprise drone strike deep inside Russia damaged billions of dollars’ worth of irreplaceable military aircraft and marks a major milestone in the ongoing conflict. Political scientist Ian Bremmer breaks down how the Ukrainians pulled off the astonishing attack, the risk ... Show More

Tailor's dummy Barnier and the Liz Truss Curse. Handbags in the South Korean parliament. Regime change operation in Georgia. Grand larceny and the Biden Crime Family. And Ukraine and the confetti peace plan. An Englishman at home in Moscow. 'This whole façade that Putin woke up i ... Show More