Is Putin a Risk Taker?

Suzi talks to Ilya Matveev about Russia's destructive war on Ukraine, now at a critical juncture. Putin has annexed four regions of Ukraine after holding farcical referenda, a clear and dangerous escalation in areas that are not completely under Russian control. Putin has also warned that any attacks on these areas are attacks on Russia—and that he would "protect" these territories by all means necessary, including tactical nuclear weapons. This follows the draft announced on September 21 of some 300,000 men, which has proven unpopular: about the same number called up are fleeing the country. The move belies Putin’s six-month propaganda effort to call Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a "special military operation," not a war. These latest events have reignited the anti-war movement, despite draconian penalties for anti-war activities, and further isolated Russia. We get Ilya Matveev’s perspective.

Jacobin Radio with Suzi Weissman features conversations with leading thinkers and activists, with a focus on labor, the economy, protest movements.