A great conversation with The Eurasian Knot (@euraknot.bsky.social) about my book, Rebel Russia (and a nice summary that gets to the heart of it: "Rebellion, in fact, is an integral part of Russia’s history, and the rebel often leads the dance with the Tsar.")

⚡️ New Episode Drop ⚡️ 💣 Who is Vladimir PUTIN and what makes him tick? 🗣️Today Tony Robinson and his guests Mark Galeotti and Anna Arutunyan Anna Arutunyan unpick the man from the myth. #Putin Listen now wherever you get your #podcasts 🎧 🔗 podfollow.com/1676254046

.Anna Arutunyan has written a "forget everything you think you knew" book about the Russian state, civil society (yes, it's still there) and rebels. It sounds fascinating and fwiw aligns with what I saw down at the grassroots. Listen to this engrossing conversation with The Eurasian Knot (@euraknot.bsky.social).

‘He was a glorified file clerk’ Mark Galeotti reflects on #Putin’s time in East Germany on #Cunningcast ‘Who is Vladimir PUTIN and what makes him tick?’ Tony Robinson and Mark Galeotti and Anna Arutunyan Anna Arutunyan unpick the man from the myth 🔗 podfollow.com/1676254046

I can't stress enough the extent to which Putinism derives directly from the bandit capitalism and neo-liberal frenzy of 1990s Russia - when they were imitating what they thought America was. (The illiberalism in the West may too be a logical conclusion of the neoliberal 80s-90s)

Also, Russia "defunded the police" long before the American left got the bright idea, and this is exactly what it led to:

What I have long suspected: not only are these EU officials oblivious of the myriad Russian civil society actors in Russia, they don't *want* to know of anyone else. Almost as though they don't want an actual Russian civil society - with a plurality of views - to really exist.

How do you define the rebel? Take a look back with Anna Arutunyan as she counters the 'politically passive' preconception of Russian society in last week's episode, "Rebel Russia." patreon.com/posts/rebel-ru…

When I talk about Israel and Gaza, I get two kinds of messages: “Disgusting. I’ve watched you for years but I’ve lost all respect because you defend Israel’s right to exist.” And “Disgusting. I’ve watched you for years but I’ve lost all respect because you’re too critical of

Amidst talk of ways the EU could block Putin's travel to Budapest, I wonder if that is the Kremlin's idea. “Sorry, Donald, those Europeans are trying to prevent your summit. They want to prevent your peace plan. They hate you. I suppose you'll have to come to Moscow (or Minsk)”

Amid everything that has changed everywhere, such a comfort that the hot cocoa at Cafe Reggio has remained unsweetened and tastes the same as it did 25 years ago

You, Michael McFaul , never came close to risking *anything* like what the Russians "screaming" at you did. If spewing hate on X is the only "civic resistance" you can muster, please take what is left of any basic decency you've got and retire.

Jeremy is right to call this out. But also, has anyone pushing the Russian indoctrination scare actually bothered to just *talk* to a Russian teenager?

I'm sure this will be an unpopular opinion, but while the text of the US plan for Ukraine is poorly drafted and incomplete, it is not a simple call for Ukrainian capitulation. As a starting point for something that could stop the killing, it has some promise. A few thoughts 1/

The 28pt plan & security framework is about as good as Ukraine can get. (EU membership provides better sec guarantees than NATO). Includes substantial Ru concessions. But Ze will likely reject, which seems what both Pu & Don are counting on. bit.ly/3X9rFSc

As I expected: Putin basically says that it sounds like a good start for a peace plan, but "Ukraine is against it." Ze's ambiguous address notwithstanding, he can still call Putin's bluff and take the deal. (But probably won't. Hope I'm wrong.) mdza.io/b/EhwohAuJUw

If there is one lesson for Europe from the U.S. proposals for Ukraine, it is that power is about more than tough words in public. One official: “We have excluded ourselves from the peace talks, but also insist we must be at those very talks.”

There is a perception that Kirill Dmitriev is a voice of Vladimir Putin. He is not. He is but one negotiator who is trying to prove he can work on par with Sergei Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov. His proposals are just a version of things Putin would consider discussing

No shade on the journalists breaking their backs to cover every twist in the Russia–Ukraine diplomacy chaos, but I’m starting to think we might be better off ignoring it entirely until something actually happens.

Dutch newspaper Trouw studied 60 reported drone incidents across Europe and found widespread confusion: many sightings weren’t drones at all (some were actually stars, lol), and there's little proof of Russian involvement outside a handful of cases in Poland, Romania, and Moldova