Russian Roulette

This week, Max and Maria were joined by military analysts Michael Kofman and Rob Lee to discuss the latest phase of the war in Ukraine. Max and Maria asked them for their thoughts on the ongoing Ukrainian offensive in Kursk, and whether or not this seizure of Russian territory by Kyiv exposes Russian threats of escalation as hollow. If they are hollow, does that mean Western "red lines" on certain kinds of aid to Ukraine should be reassessed?

"Ukraine's Gamble: The Risks and Rewards of the Offensive Into Russia's Kursk Region" by Michael Kofman and Rob Lee (September 2, 2024 in Foreign Affairs)

Max and Maria sat down with Sam Bendett and Mick Ryan to discuss the Ukrainian military's recent seizure of territory in Kursk Oblast, inside Russia. They discussed how this attack took place, the risks and potential gains at stake for the Ukrainian side, and what this could all mean for the war going forward.

Check out Mick's latest book, "The War for Ukraine: Strategy and Adaptation Under Fire." All royalties from the book will be donated to support the Ukrainian war effort.

This week, Maria sat down with investigative journalists Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan. Andrei and Irina gave their analysis of the recent high-profile Russia-West prisoner swap, and also discussed the threat of Russian hybrid attacks on Western countries. Additionally, they described the complex relationship between the Russian state and the Russian community in emigration, and outlined how the Kremlin views Russian émigrés as both a threat, and a potential source of intelligence opportunities.

 Max and Maria sat down with Jade McGlynn to discuss her recent report for CSIS, "Crossing Thresholds: Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Occupation."

"Crossing Thresholds: Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Occupation," by Jade McGlynn on CSIS.org. 

"The Ukrainian resistance is torching Putin's dreams of conquest," by Jade McGlynn for The Telegraph.

On this week's episode, Max and Michael Kimmage sat down with Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of Silverado Policy Institute, to discuss Dmitri's recent book, "World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century." Recorded on July 2, 2024, the conversation covers the geopolitical parallels between the European and Indo-Pacific theaters today, and what the dual strategic challenges emanating from Moscow and Beijing mean for Western policymakers.

SHOW NOTES: Check out a new CSIS report from Max Bergmann and Christopher B. Johnstone, "Europe's Security Role in the Indo-Pacific: Making It Meaningful."

 Maria recently sat down with sanctions expert Eddie Fishman and economist Sergey Aleksashenko to provide a timely update on the evolving sanctions regime leveled against Russia. (Recorded on June 18, 2024.)

This week, Max sat down for a public conversation with Hanna Notte and Jon B. Alterman to discuss how the governments of Russia and Iran have strengthened their political, economic, and security collaboration since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Maria sat down with Russian independent journalist and author Mikhail Zygar, and University of Oxford professor Christopher Davis, to discuss the recent string of anti-corruption charges at the Russian Ministry of Defense, and the replacement of Sergei Shoigu with Andrei Belousov at the ministry’s head. What does all this mean for the current composition of the Russian elite, and what impact will these changes have on the Russian war effort in Ukraine?

Please check out Mikhail Zygar's Substack, "The Last Pioneer."

 On May 2, 2024, Maria sat down with Michael Kimmage and Mary Elise Sarotte to discuss Michael's newest book, "Collisions the Origins of the War in Ukraine, and the New Global Instability."

"Collisions" is available for purchase from Oxford University Press.

For today's special bonus episode, Max sat down with Tinatin Japaridze and Eto Buziashvili to discuss the ongoing protests taking place in Georgia. Georgian civil society is mobilizing yet again in opposition to the controversial "foreign agents" law being pushed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.