Russia on the Record

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, a former journalist for The Moscow Times, has been held in Moscow’s notorious Lerfortovo prison for almost a year on espionage charges that he, the U.S. and his employer vehemently deny.

We speak to Evan’s friend, The Guardian's Russia correspondent Pjotr Sauer, about the first anniversary of Evan's arrest, the conditions he faces in prison, how he is doing, and the possible future of his case.

Russia's three-day presidential election is off to a start, with Vladimir Putin expected to secure an easy victory after sidelining the opposition, leaving only his hand-picked opponents on the ballot.

Since the last presidential election of 2018, there have been significant changes to electoral legislation, significantly reducing the opportunities for independent observers to ensure the fairness of the process.

Stanislav Andreychuk, co-chair of the independent election watchdog Golos, joins us this episode to discuss the nature of electoral fraud in Russia and whether anything can be done to combat it.

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Russia celebrates March 8, International Women's Day, as a national public holiday. But in recent years, and especially after the start of the war in Ukraine, the Russian government has largely neglected gender-equality initiatives. Instead, the state has encouraged women to prioritize having children and passed new restrictions on reproductive rights.

Sasha Talaver, a Ph.D. candidate in gender studies and a feminist activist, joins us this episode to discuss the evolution of women's rights in Russia and the role of women in Russia's anti-war resistance.

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About 116,000 people have been subjected to direct political repression in Russia over the past six years, according to a recent study by the investigative outlet Proekt — the highest number since under Stalin's rule.

For this episode, we analyzed the study’s results with Sergei Davidis, head of the Political Prisoners Support Program and a member of the board at the Memorial human rights group. Pavel Butorin, the director of the Current Time media outlet, then joins us to discuss the case of his wife, journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was jailed last year on charges seen as politically motivated.

Alexei Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition figure, died in a remote Arctic prison on Feb. 16, sparking an outpouring of grief among his supporters and Russians who hope for a democratic, peaceful future. This episode is dedicated to remembering Navalny's life, his impact on Russian politics and the legacy he leaves behind.

We first recap how the news of Navalny's death has played out in the headlines over the past week before hearing from ordinary Russians who are laying flowers at memorials across the country to honor the politician's memory, Navalny supporters, and people who knew him personally.

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As the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine approaches, the Kremlin continues to rely on historical narratives to justify its aggression.

In an interview with Tucker Carlson last week, President Vladimir Putin dedicated significant time to reciting his distorted view of Ukraine’s history, which calls Ukraine’s very statehood into question.

Researcher Jade McGlynn joins us to discuss and deconstruct the mechanics and motives behind Russia's weaponization of history, and why Ukraine has been the primary target of this historical weaponization.

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Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russian comedians who have openly voiced their anti-war views have had to emigrate in order to keep speaking openly about politics. Some of them are starting to form communities with fellow comedians in countries that have become hubs for Russian exiles.

In this episode, comedians Ilya Ovechkin and Denis Chuzhoy, who fled Russia shortly after the invasion, join us to discuss how they've continued to pursue their stand-up careers abroad.

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Since the start of the war in Ukraine, there have been a number of scandals related to surveillance of Russians abroad by Moscow’s intelligence services and alleged Russian spies working in foreign countries.

Investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov joins us to discuss the work of Russian intelligence services outside Russia — and how they put pressure on journalists, activists and public persons living in exile.

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Russia’s republic of Bashkortostan, located in the Ural Mountains region, erupted in protests in mid-January following the arrest of Fayil Alsynov, a well-known local activist who was sentenced to four years in prison.

In one of the few major protests since the invasion of Ukraine made public dissent almost impossible, thousands of people came to the small town of Baymak to show their support for Alsynov and call for his release.

In this episode we speak with Abbas Galyamov, a political scientist from Bashkortostan now in exile, and Moscow Times journalist Leyla Latypova, who specializes in Russia’s ethnic republics, about the factors that catalyzed the protests and whether we can expect more rallies soon.

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A widespread heating crisis and the controversy surrounding the "almost-naked party" have both dominated Russia's news headlines in recent weeks. In this episode, researcher Andras Toth-Czifra and music critic Artemy Troitsky join us to analyze these events and how they will impact the wider social mood across the country.

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