As it focuses on its war against Ukraine, Russia is also seeking to leverage violence in the Middle East to improve its global standing and condemn the West. The Kremlin is reaping rewards, but it also faces risks posed by its footprint in the volatile region. Hanna Notte, director for Eurasia at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joins the host this week.

As Moscow's forces press forward and Ukraine holds onto part of Russia's Kursk region, there are new "mutterings" in the West about the prospects for an end to the fighting. Ruth Deyermond, senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the situation on the battlefield and the latest wave of talk about talks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy took his "victory plan" to Biden, Harris, and Trump in a U.S. visit that also included UN speeches. In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued yet another nuclear threat. Analyst and author Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss what it all means for the war in Ukraine.

How big a deal is Kyiv's incursion into the Kursk region? What are Ukraine's goals? And what are the ramifications for Russia? This week, host Steve Gutterman discusses these issues with Oleg Ignatov, a senior analyst for Russia at the International Crisis Group.

Russian forces press forward in eastern Ukraine but also suffer setbacks. Dara Massicot, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an expert on Russian military issues, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the battlefield situation, manpower problems, and the talk about efforts to end the fighting.

President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the U.S. presidential race and Donald Trump has picked J.D. Vance as his running mate. Sam Greene, director of Democratic Resilience at CEPA and a professor at the King's Russia Institute, discusses what these developments could mean for Ukraine and its defense against the Russian invasion.

July 17 marks 10 years since a Russian missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over the war zone in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew. Christopher Miller, Ukraine correspondent for the Financial Times and author of The War Came To Us: Life And Death In Ukraine, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

NATO leaders meet after a Russian strike on a children's hospital underscores the horrors of Russia's war on Ukraine. And the U.S. election looms after votes in Britain and France. Nigel Gould-Davies, the senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins the host to discuss.

What do Western elections and new support deals mean for Ukraine's defense against Russia? And a year later, how is the Wagner mutiny still reverberating across Russia and beyond? Mark Galeotti, author of Downfall: Prigozhin, Putin, And The New Fight For The Future Of Russia, joins host Steve Gutterman discuss.

How has the rebellion by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenary force changed Russia, and what effects may still be to come? Kirill Shamiev, a fellow at the European Council of Foreign Relations and an expert on Russia and civil-military relations, joins the host to discuss.

How will relaxed U.S. rules for Ukraine's use of American weapons affect Kyiv's defense against Russia's invasion? And can the upcoming Peace Summit in Switzerland make a difference? Olga Oliker, program director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Under increasing pressure to untie Kyiv's hands, the United States has changed course and allowed Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied weapons to strike at some targets inside Russia. Ruth Deyermond, senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, joins the host to discuss the significance of the shift.

Dr. Allyson Edwards, a lecturer at Bath Spa University in Britain and an expert on Russian militarism, youth, memory, and patriotic education, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the Kremlin's misuse of history in the war in Ukraine and beyond.

What's behind the shake-up that is sending longtime Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to President Vladimir Putin's Security Council and putting a longtime economic official in charge of the military? Author and analyst Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the personnel shifts and Russia's new offensive in Ukraine's Kharkiv region.

U.S. weapons for Ukraine, more talk about talks, and calls for the containment of Russia. As Russian President Vladimir Putin starts yet another term, Sam Greene, director of Democratic Resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis and a professor at King's Russia Institute, joins the host to discuss developments in Moscow's war on Ukraine and confrontation with the West.

After an excruciating six-month wait, new U.S. aid for Ukraine's defense could become law this week. Christopher Miller, Ukraine correspondent for the Financial Times and author of The War Came To Us: Life And Death In Ukraine, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss how this is affecting the mood in Ukraine and what it could mean for the course of the war.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warns that Ukraine could lose the war if new U.S. aid is not approved. Is Russia about to make major advances? And why is the Kremlin doubling down on claims of a Ukrainian role in the Crocus City Hall attack despite a lack of evidence? Oleg Ignatov, senior analyst for Russia at the International Crisis Group, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Gunmen killed at least 137 people at a concert hall outside Moscow in the deadliest terror attack in Russia in 20 years. Why did this happen now, what does it mean, and how will the Russian state respond? Author and analyst Mark Galeotti, an honorary professor at the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies in London, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Russia’s March 15-17 election is set to keep President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin for six more years. Given that certainty, does the election matter? And what might Putin’s sixth term mean for Russia, Ukraine, and the world? Russian historian and analyst Sergei Medvedev joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Russian forces are seeking further advances after capturing Avdiyivka, and the $60 million U.S. aid package is still stuck in Congress. Dara Massicot, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins the host to discuss a crucial juncture in Moscow’s war against Ukraine.

Jan Matti Dollbaum -- research group leader at LMU Munich and co-author of the book Navalny: Putin's Nemesis, Russia's Future? – joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the life, death, and legacy of Aleksei Navalny.

Ian Garner, an expert on Russian war propaganda and author of the book Z Generation: Russia's Fascist Youth, discusses the Kremlin's messaging about its war against Ukraine, the campaign for the noncompetitive election, and takeaways from Tucker Carlson's interview with President Vladimir Putin.

The fate of Ukraine’s commander-in-chief is in doubt. So is the fate of future U.S. military aid. Christopher Miller, Ukraine correspondent for The Financial Times and the author of the book The War Came To Us: Life And Death In Ukraine, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss what may happen and what it could mean as Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches the two-year mark.

Author and analyst Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the mysterious Russian military plane crash that Moscow claims killed 65 Ukrainian POWs, the verdict against nationalist Putin critic Igor Girkin, and the would-be presidential candidacy of Boris Nadezhdin.

While Russia’s war on Ukraine may not end in 2024, this could be a make-or-break year for Kyiv’s defense against the invasion. Will the European Union come through with sufficient support? Marie Dumoulin, Director of the Wider Europe program at the European Council on Foreign Relations, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Could Russia end up winning its war against Ukraine? If it doesn't, could Ukraine and the West still lose? Ruth Deyermond, senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, joins host Steve Gutterman to take stock as Russia's full-scale invasion nears its third year.

Vladimir Putin vows to achieve his goals in the war on Ukraine as he heads toward another Kremlin term, while uncertainty looms over the future of Western support for Kyiv’s defense against the Russian invasion. What’s in store for Russia and Ukraine in 2024? Analyst and author Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

As its invasion of Ukraine rages on, Russia prepares for an election in which President Vladimir Putin is expected to claim a new six-year term. Andras Toth-Czifra, a fellow with the Eurasia Program of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Will talk of a stalemate affect the course of the war in Ukraine and Western support for Kyiv? And in Russia, what are the potential ramifications of the anti-Semitic airport attack in Daghestan? Olga Oliker, the program director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

An anti-Semitic rampage at the main airport in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Daghestan. In Ukraine, high-level disputes about how the war is going. Author and analyst Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the roots and ramifications of these developments.

As fierce fighting continues along the front line in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the future of Western aid for Kyiv is clouded by an array of developments from Capitol Hill to the Middle East and beyond. Author and analyst Sam Greene, a professor at the Russia Institute at Kings College London and director of democratic resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis, joins Steve Gutterman to discuss.

A purported private military company called Redut is in reality a recruitment system for combat units that is coordinated and funded by Russia's armed forces and their intelligence agency, the GRU, RFE/RL investigative units Schemes and Systema have found. Investigative reporters Valeria Yehoshyna and Yelizaveta Surnacheva join the host to discuss the remarkable investigation and the revelations it produced.

Author and analyst Mark Galeotti talks about his takes on the struggle for the Black Sea, the state of Western support for Ukraine after potentially damaging developments in the United States and Europe, and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarkable claim about the crash that killed mutinous Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

On October 4, 1993, a tense standoff between President Boris Yeltsin and opponents holed up in the "White House" came to a violent head when government forces shelled the parliament building on the Moscow River, a development that still reverberates in Russia today. This weekend, developments in the United States and Slovakia raised questions about the future of Western support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion. Kadri Liik, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Christopher Miller, Ukraine correspondent for the Financial Times and author of The War Came To Us: Life And Death In Ukraine, speaks to RFE/RL about his book, his experiences covering the country and the war, and where things stand after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit to the United States.

As Ukraine's counteroffensive against the Russian invasion continues, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy heads to the United States for the UN General Assembly and a potentially crucial visit to Washington. Olga Oliker, program director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the big week.

Four days after a fiery plane crash, Russian investigators said they have confirmed the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner mercenary boss who led a brief but shocking mutiny in June. Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins Steve Gutterman to take a look at the potential consequences for Russia, the war in Ukraine, and Belarus.

Analyst and author Mark Galeotti joins RFE/RL to discuss Moscow's war on Ukraine, its reverberations in Russia, and how it's related to the invasion of Georgia in 2008. Also on the agenda: the continuing aftermath of the Wagner mutiny.

President Vladimir Putin's most prominent foe, the imprisoned opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, has been convicted of extremism and sentenced to 19 years in the harshest kind of penitentiary Russia has. Jan Matti Dollbaum -- co-author of the book Navalny: Putin's Nemesis, Russia's Future? -- joins host Steve Gutterman to talk about what the verdict means for Navalny and for Russia.

After scuttling the agreement that allowed for the safe shipment of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea and out to the world, Russia has attacked export facilities on the Black Sea and the Danube in Ukraine. Why did Moscow withdraw from the grain deal, and what's next? Alissa de Carbonnel of the Crisis Group joins Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Since President Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, policymaking in Russia has been subordinated to the war and long-term planning is at a standstill. Political analyst Andras Toth-Czifra joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the chaotic situation and its potential consequences.

Two weeks after the short-lived Wagner mutiny, how badly weakened is President Vladimir Putin -- and what does it mean for Russia and its war on Ukraine? Also, what's in store for Ukraine at the NATO summit this week? Analyst and author Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Why did Yevgeny Prigozhin halt Wagner’s advance toward Moscow so abruptly? How badly weakened is Russian President Vladimir Putin, and what might the 24-hour rebellion mean for the course of the war in Ukraine? Olga Oliker, program director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group, host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Crimea is Ukraine, but some in the West say Kyiv should not try to take it back by force if it gets the chance. Is that good advice, or could such an approach be dangerous for Ukraine and the West? Ruth Deyermond, a senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, joins Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Russia claims its forces, led by Wagner mercenaries, have captured all of the ruined Ukrainian city of Bakhmut after many months of heavy fighting. Kyiv denies it. How important is the battle for Bakhmut? Author and analyst Mark Galeotti joins Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Long-ruling authoritarian Alyaksandr Lukashenka showed up in a state-issued video after looking ill at May 9 ceremonies in Moscow and then disappearing from view for five days. His absence and apparent illness have raised questions about the future in Belarus. Katia Glod, a fellow at the European Leadership Network and the Center for European Policy Analysis, joins Steve Gutterman to discuss.

More than a year into its war on Ukraine, Russia holds a military parade on Red Square as part of ceremonies marking the defeat of Nazi Germany 78 years ago. Allyson Edwards, a lecturer at Bath Spa University and an expert on Russian militarism, youth, memory, and patriotic education, joins RFE/RL to discuss.

Author and analyst Mark Galeotti offers his takes on the "digital draft" law and the long sentence handed down to Kremlin opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza, among other developments related to Russia's war on Ukraine.

The military goes online to round up Russians to fight in Ukraine. And Kremlin opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza could be sentenced to up to 25 years on treason charges that have been widely dismissed as politically motivated punishment for his opposition to the war. Precious Chatterje-Doody, a lecturer in politics and international studies at Open University in the United Kingdom, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is arrested in Russia, the Kremlin increases pressure on anti-war performers, and a pro-war blogger is killed by a bomb in St. Petersburg. RFE/RL’s Irina Lagunina joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

What's behind Russian President Vladimir Putin's threat to position tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, and what does it say about Minsk's role in the war in Ukraine? Daniel Speckhard, a former U.S. ambassador to Belarus who heads the global development and humanitarian assistance organization Corus International, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

What do visits from Xi Jinping and Bashar al-Assad say about Russia’s clout beyond the former Soviet Union, and how will an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin affect Moscow’s standing? Meanwhile, is Yevgeny Prigozhin losing influence in Russia as the Wagner Group’s losses mount in the bloody battle for Bakhmut? Author and analyst Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Can the West's "unprecedented unity" in support of Ukraine be sustained? And after Moscow's setbacks and Kyiv's successes in 2022, has the war reached a stalemate? Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Is the armistice that brought a halt to fighting on the Korean Peninsula 70 years ago a template for peace in the Ukraine war? Sergey Radchenko, a Cold War historian and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, thinks it might be. Radchenko joins guest host Mike Eckel to discuss the idea and what to watch for as the war grinds into bitter attrition.

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine entered its second year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled that it won't end soon and U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to support Kyiv for "as long as it takes." Sam Greene, a professor at the Russia Institute at Kings College London, director of democratic resilience at CEPA, and co-author of the book Putin Vs. The People, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss Putin's speech and what to watch for as the war grinds on.

Days before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its second year with no end in sight, President Vladimir Putin delivers a state-of-the-nation speech on February 21. Irina Lagunina, associate standards editor and former director of the Russian Service at RFE/RL, joins host Steve Gutterman.

Eighty years after the Soviet Army defeated Hitler’s forces in the Battle of Stalingrad, Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to get the memory of the bloody and pivotal showdown to fit his false narrative of the war in Ukraine. Ian Garner, an author and expert on Russian war propaganda, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

How will German, British, and U.S. tanks affect the course of Russia's war against Ukraine? And is the Kremlin's attempt to rally Russians for a "New Patriotic War" against the West already failing? Mark Galeotti, a Russia analyst and author whose books including Putin's Wars: From Chechnya To Ukraine, joins Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Dozens of Ukrainian civilians are killed when a Russian rocket obliterates part of an apartment building in Dnipro. Fighting persists following Moscow's claims of control over the Donbas town of Soledar. RFE/RL's Irina Lagunina joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Following Russian setbacks in its bloody bid to subjugate Ukraine, is the propaganda changing? And why is Putin avoiding holding one of his big image-making exercises, the annual press conference? Ian Garner, an author and expert on Russian war propaganda, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Why was the Kremlin so eager to bring an arms dealer home, and what are the prospects for further releases following the Griner-Bout exchange? Also, what's behind opposition politician Ilya Yashin's long prison term? RFE/RL's Irina Lagunina joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

The Belarusian state has provided plenty of support for Russia's war on Ukraine but has resisted sending troops. What's behind that reluctance – and why has the death of the country's longtime foreign minister sparked so much speculation? Katia Glod, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Russian attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure are darkening cities as winter approaches, but Ukrainians' resolve may be burning even brighter, and Western support continues. Kadri Liik, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the latest phase of the war.

From a massive mobilization drive to money problems in the regions, Russia's war on Ukraine is straining the Kremlin's ability to govern -- and to keep up support from the people it needs to maintain its grip. Analyst Andras Toth-Czifra joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss what the unprovoked war has done to 'state capacity' and 'regime capacity' in Russia.

What’s next -- for Ukraine and Russia -- after Russian forces relinquished the only regional capital they had seized since the start of the invasion in February? And amid Ukrainian gains on the ground, what’s behind the talk about talks? Olga Oliker, program director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group, joins Steve Gutterman to discuss.

The Duma stops live transmissions and prepares broad new anti-LGBT legislation. Navalny says he's targeted in a new criminal probe. Ben Noble, associate professor of Russian politics at University College London, associate fellow at Chatham House, and co-author of the recent book Navalny: Putin's Nemesis, Russia's Future? joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Russia's assault on Ukraine continues eight months after the February 24 invasion. Amid setbacks on the battlefield, the Kremlin has taken a series of steps in an effort to gain the upper hand -- or avoid losing the war. Author and analyst Mark Galeotti, an honorary professor at the UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies, joins host Steve Gutterman to take stock.

Grumbling in a security alliance and a diatribe from Tajikistan's president directed at Vladimir Putin point to tensions between Moscow and the Central Asian countries amid Russia's war on Ukraine. RFE/RL Central Asia correspondent Chris Rickleton joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Russia strikes Kyiv and cities across Ukraine in multiple attacks after a blast and fire the Kremlin blames on Ukraine badly damages the bridge to occupied Crimea. RFE/RL’s Irina Lagunina joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

In a speech marking the attempted annexation of four Ukrainian regions amid setbacks for Moscow in its war on Kyiv, Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at the West in some of his most elaborately vitriolic language yet. What was the point – and will Russians buy it? Ian Garner, an author and expert on Russian war propaganda, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Tens of thousands of Russians have fled, and some others are protesting. Is President Vladimir Putin’s “partial mobilization” a big mistake? And how might the mobilization and the so-called referendums that Moscow is imposing on four Ukrainian regions affect the course of the war in Ukraine? Author, analyst, and Russia expert Sam Greene joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow on Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and former British ambassador, joins host Mike Eckel to discuss the regional elections in Russia this weekend, the lightning Ukrainian counteroffensive and the war in Ukraine, and what the Kremlin might be thinking about these days.

As autumn approaches, the future of southern Ukraine and European support for Kyiv may be hanging in the balance. Kadri Liik, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the war -- and examine the Kremlin's handling of Mikhail Gorbachev’s death.

August 24 is Independence Day in Ukraine -- and marks six months since Russia launched a massive attack against the country. Where do things stand in the war, and what has that half-year brought the invading country? Irina Lagunina, associate standards editor and former director of RFE/RL's Russian Service, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

In a recent article, analyst and author Mark Galeotti wrote that Vladimir Putin appears to be entering "the final, most dangerous phase of his descent into rogue state tyrant." What does that mean for the war in Ukraine -- and what can the West do about it? Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

A crucial time in the war in Ukraine, and two years since a disputed election led to protests and crackdown in Belarus. Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Boris Nemtsov, a politician with presidential potential who became a vocal opponent of Vladimir Putin and Moscow's aggression against Ukraine, was shot dead near the Kremlin in 2015. His daughter, journalist Zhanna Nemtsova, talks about Another Russia, her new podcast about Nemtsov and the continuing fight for the country's future.

Despite setbacks on the battlefield, Russia announced that it wants to control at least two Ukrainian regions beyond the Donbas. And it reached a deal to unblock Ukrainian grain exports, but then fired rockets at Odesa. Olga Oliker, program director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss what these developments could bring.

Are Russians hearing about the horrors of their country’s war on Ukraine, or are the state’s narratives drowning out the bloody details? And is Western resolve strong enough to stand up to the Kremlin’s framing of its invasion? Ian Garner, an expert on Russian war propaganda, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

What's behind President Vladimir Putin's assertion that Russia has not yet begun to fight the war in Ukraine "in earnest?" And when Western officials talk about victory for Ukraine, what does that mean -- and how far will they go to achieve it? Analyst and author Mark Galeotti, an honorary professor at the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies in London, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

In 1998, days after Vladimir Putin was named to head the FSB, a journalist digging into his past was beaten to death -- a brutal attack that's examined in the final installment of an investigative series by RFE/RL on the early part of Putin's rise to power. Enterprise Editor Carl Schreck and Andrei Soshnikov, an investigative journalist and web editor for Current Time, join host Steve Gutterman to discuss the project and the story of Anatoly Levin-Utkin's killing.

At an annual economic forum that was once his window on the West, President Vladimir Putin lashed out at Washington and repeated baseless claims in an effort to justify the invasion of Ukraine. Irina Lagunina, associate standards editor at RFE/RL, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

President Vladimir Putin likened himself to Peter the Great and suggested that grabbing land is the main motive for his war against Ukraine. How might this affect the course of the conflict -- and how crucial are the actions of the West? Kadri Liik, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Does President Vladimir Putin think Russia is winning its war against Ukraine? And does he face a threat from Russians who favor the war but think it’s losing? Irina Lagunina, associate standards editor at RFE/RL, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Author and analyst Mark Galeotti, an honorary professor at the UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies in London, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the latest developments in the war in Ukraine – as well as the speculation about Russian President Vladimir Putin's health and the possibility that he could pushed from power.

What's the connection between the largest cocaine bust in Russian history and the man who was the city's deputy mayor at the time, Vladimir Putin? Current Time reporter Andrei Soshnikov and RFE/RL Enterprise Editor Carl Schreck join guest host Mike Eckel to discuss a mostly overlooked but revelatory entry in Putin's political trajectory as well as findings made in the first of a multipart series looking at the Russian president's backstory.

When the war is over, will Russia end up in a worse position than it was in before it invaded Ukraine? And should making sure that it does be a goal for the West? Nigel Gould-Davies, the senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

At the annual military parade in Red Square, Russian President Vladimir Putin repeated the Kremlin's narratives about the war in Ukraine but made no big announcements and signaled no changes in strategy. Ian Garner, an author and expert on Russian war propaganda, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

With Russia causing devastation in Ukraine that echoes World War II and preparing to celebrate the anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat 77 years ago, are major developments likely in Ukraine – and in Russia itself? Kadri Liik, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

Can Ukraine win the war? And as Russia's military losses mount and isolation increases, are the whispers of dismay and discontent in circles close to President Vladimir Putin growing louder? Political analyst and author Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.

As the terrible human toll mounts and evidence of atrocities emerges, where is the war in Ukraine headed? And how sustainable is the situation in Russia? Olga Oliker, program director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss.