In Moscow's Shadows

Negotiations (of a sort) in Istanbul: a real engagement or just a piece of theatre? The answer, of course, is a bit of both. And what can one read into the elevation of Colonel General Mordvichev as the new commander of Russian Ground Forces? The link to the Conducttr wargame I mention is here [https://www.conducttr.com/election-wargame]. The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr [https://www.conducttr.com/], which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations. You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows [https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/], and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access to exclusive extra materials including the (almost-) weekly Govorit Moskva news briefing right here [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows].  Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows]

The 200th episode! Hard to believe. After briefly assessing Putin's late-night offer of talks with Kyiv, I dig into the Victory Day parade and what it means, especially from an international angle, and how it was part of a love letter to Xi Jinping. The events I mentioned next week in Prague are at CEVRO University [https://www.pctr.cz/2025/04/29/forged-in-war-a-book-launch-and-a-discussion-with-mark-galeotti/?lang=en], the Institute of International Relations [https://www.iir.cz/russia-and-europe-after-the-ukraine-war] and the Prague Book Festival [https://svetknihy.cz/praha2025/navstevnik/program], with the launch of Zrozeni z Války [https://nakladatelstvi-bourdon.cz/produkt/zrozeni-z-valky/], the Czech translation of my book Forged in War. The forthcoming events page on my blog is here [https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/forthcoming-speaking-events/]. The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr [https://www.conducttr.com/], which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations. You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows [https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/], and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access to exclusive extra materials including the (almost-) weekly Govorit Moskva news briefing right here [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows].  Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows]

General Ivan Popov, once hailed as one of the heroes and rising stars of the Russian army, has just been sentenced to 5 years in a general regime penal colony on what seem questionable charges. What brought down this 'fighting general' -- and what does it tell us about late Putinism and the potential nationalist critique of the regime? The sign-up page for the Conducttr info-political wargame I mentioned is here [https://www.conducttr.com/election-wargame]. The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr [https://www.conducttr.com/], which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations. You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows [https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/], and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access to exclusive extra materials including the (almost-) weekly Govorit Moskva news briefing right here [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows].  Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows]

In the first half, I consider the latest twists in the saga of the US-pushed 'ceasefire' plan. Has Trump has an epiphany in the Vatican, or will Kyiv still face a choice of evils? In the second, I draw a line between the gunning down of a mobster in Tbilisi with the twilight of Putinism, through leaking roofs and the likelihood of mob wars. The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr [https://www.conducttr.com/], which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations. You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows [https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/], and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access to exclusive extra materials including the (almost-) weekly Govorit Moskva news briefing right here [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows].  Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows]

An intemperate recent interview from Foreign Minister Lavrov, at which he warned that 'fifth columnists' within the elite wanted to hand Russia to the West on a platter, is typical of a new tome of populist nationalism that got me wondering. Putin's Russia is often called 'fascist' but this is a label of dubious accuracy. Are there hints that Russia could turn fascist? I still think this will not happen, but it is something worth exploring. The Bell, by the way, is here [https://en.thebell.io/].  The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr [https://www.conducttr.com/], which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations. You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows [https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/], and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access to exclusive extra materials including the (almost-) weekly Govorit Moskva news briefing right here [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows].  Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadows]