While traveling on Air Force One this week in Asia, President Trump lamented the fact that Russia’s Vladimir Putin is insulted by United States accusations that Russia meddled in the 2016 Presidential election. Trump contended that Putin’s bruised feelings would prevent him from making “deals” with the US concerning Syria and North Korea. The President also referred to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former C.I.A. Director John O. Brennan as “political hacks” and that the investigation into Russian meddling is an “artificial Democratic hit job.” The next day, Pres. Trump adjusted his comments to say that he was not supporting the views of Putin but was instead just acknowledging his beliefs. This latest “dust-up” again brings to focus the tenuous relationship between the U.S. and Russia and the strange relationship between the country’s two leaders. To put this ongoing relationship into focus, Spectrum podcast talked with international expert and specialist in Russia/Soviet and East European history Dr. Steven Miner. He also is the current Director of the Contemporary History Institute at Ohio University. Miner says that Putin is a far better political tactician than Trump but that, overall, he has not proven to be a good strategist. Miner describes the tenuous nature of the Russian economy and its suffering from U.S. sanctions. He also notes that Russia has dedicated part of its military strategy to cyber warfare and cyber interference with other nations’ electoral processes…especially the U.S. and others in Western Europe. Putin feels that effort has been successful. This tactic costs little money but causes major upheaval – as evidenced by the current U.S. Congressional and legal inquiries. Miner also suggests that we watch for Russia to acquire more adjacent territory while the U.S. is preoccupied with N. Korea and our internal investigations into Russian meddling. Miner is an award winning author and is putting the finishing touches on his latest book called “The Furies Unleashed: The Soviet People at War, 1941-1945.”