Chris chats with Bruce Talley, a former Russia-based businessman who now helps foreign companies set up operations in Ukraine and matches investors with projects

They explore the complex nature of doing business in Russia, including how it’s changed since the 1990s, the red flags Talley missed, and the moment he realized the system was irredeemably corrupt. He shares what it’s like to be surveilled by the FSB, the limits of Western legal remedies, and how Russia’s criminal networks evolved into tools of statecraft. They also discuss the risks facing Western investors, the Kremlin’s strategy of normalized theft, and what Bruce’s work today reveals about the intersection of cybercrime and geopolitical power.

Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs.

Bruce’s blog: http://brucetalley.com

Bruce’s company, Destination Ukraine: https://destination-ukraine.com 

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/2d201a

YouTube: https://youtu.be/pzpVi_PQmGM

Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies

Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996

Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg

For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social

Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies

Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies

Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/fultonmatt.bsky.social

https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social

Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters & Sergei Guneyev/AP

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode unpacks global events through the lens of intelligence and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and analysts.