logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2025
24m 45s

Space invaders: Russia’s NATO nose-thumb...

The Economist
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Yesterday
Omission accomplished: why the Iran-war cycle spins on
From impasse in Iran to still-unresolved conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, a trend is clear: President Donald Trump’s scant, early plans for peace do not actually forge a path to it. Our correspondent says that in the driverless-car future, it will often be Chinese AI behind the whe ... Show More
25m 39s
Jul 30
Working memory: the surprising decline of dementia
A dive into the data reveals that, despite dire past predictions, the prevalence of dementia is actually waning. We take a look at Pix, a beloved Brazilian digital-payments system, and why it so bothers President Donald Trump. And we attend one of the concerts that reveals how th ... Show More
25m 8s
Jul 29
Brave New whirl: Turkey’s opposition overhaul
An ousted former opposition leader started a new party—called the New Party. We assess its chances at the ballot box, and under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s thumb. A surrogacy scandal in Germany has prompted a government reshuffle, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz left holding ... Show More
20m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2025
Space invaders: Russia’s NATO nose-thumbing
Russia’s dark-fleet maritime operations and brazen incursions into NATO airspace appear to be precision-engineered to test Western resolve. We ask how this new phase of aggression may end. Our correspondent reports from Madagascar, where young people are leading unprecedented ant ... Show More
24m 45s
Mar 2022
Abject lesson: the siege of Mariupol
To the west, strikes near Poland have rattled NATO partners. But look to the south-east to see <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/03/13/the-dire-fate-of-mariupol-is-a-warning-to-other-ukrainian-cities?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelli ... Show More
23m 31s
Mar 2022
War stories: the view from Russia
<p>With the propaganda machine at fever pitch, not everyone in Russia agrees on—<a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2022/03/05/vladimir-putins-invasion-of-ukraine-is-wrecking-two-countries?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_conten ... Show More
24m 4s
May 2022
Bear traps: Russia’s push in eastern Ukraine
<p>Russian forces are having some successes in eastern Ukraine; our defence editor discusses the situation on the ground and what may <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/05/26/ukraine-needs-support-not-timorous-advice?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_ ... Show More
24m 13s
Jan 2022
What’s it good for? Putin’s Ukraine calculus
More Russian troops <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/01/22/momentum-is-building-for-war-in-ukraine?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel ... Show More
22m 36s
Feb 2022
On the brinkmanship: a special episode on Ukraine and Russia
<p>We unpick the week’s torrent of headlines; an invasion may yet come but either way President Vladimir Putin has already harmed Russia. The country’s digital self-isolation project is quietly forging ahead; we examine its home-grown “tech stack” with everything from chips up to ... Show More
26m 29s
Jun 2021
Bear necessities: learning to handle Russia
<p>As both <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/06/17/america-and-russia-return-to-traditional-great-power-diplomacy?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=third-party-host&utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">summitry</ ... Show More
21m 34s
Jun 2023
Dam and blast: Ukraine launches counter-offensive
<p>After months of waiting, <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/06/05/ukraines-counter-offensive-appears-to-have-begun?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=s ... Show More
24m 11s