Departures Podcast with John Lough, author of ‘Germany’s Russia Problem: The Struggle for Balance in Europe’

By Editor | Published: July 21, 2021

In power since 2005, Angela Merkel’s CDU coalition has managed to govern Germany with an admirable level of success, but at the same time during this period, Vladimir Putin’s Russia has invaded multiple countries, interfered in elections both near and far away, and run amok with jailings and assassinations of dissidents. How is it possible […]

» Read More

Departures Podcast with Gulnaz Sharafutdinova, author of ‘The Red Mirror: Putin’s Leadership and Russia’s Insecure Identity’

By Editor | Published: June 23, 2021

Vladimir Putin never seems to go away. No matter what economic or political crisis, invasions of neighboring nations, or crushing oppression of basic civil liberties, he somehow manages to sustain enough of a perception of popular support and legitimacy to keep on going. Why? That’s the question studied in the terrific new book “The Red […]

» Read More

Departures Podcast with Jack Devine, author of ‘Spymaster’s Prism: The Fight against Russian Aggression’

By Editor | Published: June 1, 2021

As competition in the field of cyberwarfare heats up between Russia and the United States, there are few other experts with more experience working inside the Central Intelligence Agency than Jack Devine. For 32 years Devine worked as a US spymaster, serving as Acting Director and Associate Director of CIA’s operations outside the United States […]

» Read More

Departures Podcast with Gregory Afinogenov, author of ‘Spies and Scholars’

By Editor | Published: May 24, 2021

Imagine you are trapped in a far-flung foreign compound with 10 other people, none of them want to be there, but you have a seemingly limitless supply of alcohol. Oh, and you are charged with developing critical intelligence and knowledge for Imperial Russia’s ambitions to gain global power. That’s among the many fascinating stories in […]

» Read More

Departures Podcast with Timothy Frye

By Editor | Published: May 22, 2021

For decades, academics and journalists have struggled to explain Russia by attempting to better explain Vladimir Putin, endlessly debating his background, his personal character, and his thinking. Many of them argue that his personal power is at the heart of decision-making, that his will alone drives events. And we couldn’t be more wrong. Timothy Frye, […]

» Read More

Departures Podcast with Edward Schatz

By Editor | Published: March 12, 2021

Often overlooked, the nations of Central Asia represent a highly important geostrategic region of the world with abundant mineral and energy wealth – and yet, US diplomatic efforts in these countries are way behind the larger neighbors of Russia and China. Part of this lack of engagement has to do with how America – at […]

» Read More

Departures Podcast with James Ryan and Susan Grant

By Editor | Published: February 5, 2021

It is easy to get very comfortable with our surface-level understanding of sweeping historical events. Most of the time it is generally consistent with the facts, except when it isn’t. When it comes to how we regard the notorious regime of Josef Stalin and this particular period of Russian history, there are more than a […]

» Read More

RA’s Daily Russia News Blast- January 19, 2020

By Matt Richard | Published: January 19, 2021

Today in Russia: Navalny sentenced to thirty days imprisonment – could it “derail his movement?”; Russian police officer suspected of leaking data of FSB officers accused of poisoning Navalny; Yulia Navalnaya; Sanctions?; Gazprom warns of possible Nord Stream 2 suspension

» Read More

RA’s Daily Russia News Blast- January 18, 2020

By Matt Richard | Published: January 18, 2021

Today in Russia: Navalny. In Russia news this weekend, there is one story dominating global headlines: Alexei Navalny. The opposition leader and anti-corruption blogger who survived a poisoning attempt made his way back to Moscow from Berlin on Sunday after announcing publicly his plan to return on Friday, where he has been recovering from the […]

» Read More

If no one reports a massacre somewhere on earth, has it still happened?

By Merve Şebnem Oruç | Published: January 4, 2021

“If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?” Philosopher George Berkeley asked this question while he was looking for answers to the notion that perception creates our reality. “Sound” is used to describe a physical phenomenon, an audible wave of pressure; but it is also an […]

» Read More