In Moscow's Shadows
Mark Galeotti
Russia, behind the headlines as well as in the shadows. This podcast is the audio counterpart to Mark Galeotti's blog of the same name, a place where "one of the most informed and provocative voices on modern Russia", can talk about Russia historical and (more often) contemporary, discuss new books and research, and sometimes talk to other Russia-watchers. If you'd like to keep the podcast coming and generally support my work, or want to ask questions or suggest topics for me to cover, do please contribute to my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/InMoscowsShadowsThe podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr, which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 29, 2026 • 51min
In Moscow's Shadows 242: Igor Sechin, Sharpening Putin's Pencils for 30 Years
A deep dive into why Igor Sechin has resurfaced in Kremlin finances and what his push for oligarch donations reveals. Traces Sechin’s rise from St Petersburg aide to Rosneft strongman and his role in high-profile prosecutions. Examines Rosneft’s financial squeeze, rare earths maneuvers, China balancing and how cronies must constantly prove their utility to stay powerful.
Mar 22, 2026 • 43min
In Moscow's Shadows 241: When Attack Dogs Turn
A social media stunt pushing a Narva separatist narrative and how meme-driven campaigns steer news cycles. The sudden anti-Putin post by a Kremlin-friendly lawyer and the strange aftermath of hospitalization. Six competing theories about motive, from genuine conversion to a honeytrap. Signs that Russian politics may be slowly thawing, with elite fights, regional pushback and internet control debates.
Mar 15, 2026 • 51min
In Moscow's Shadows 240: Frankenstein's Putinism
A dive into attempts to craft a custom, poll-driven political creed and whether engineered ideology can stick. A rundown of Alexander Kharichev’s ‘DNA of Russia’ values pyramid and five civilizational priorities. A look at the five existential threats Moscow worries about and the segmented audience map used to sell the vision. Conversation about why the Kremlin is pushing a packaged ideology and whether it will feel authentic.
Mar 8, 2026 • 50min
In Moscow's Shadows 239: Wars Foreign and Domestic
Discussion of Russia’s cautious responses to the Iran conflict and how limited intelligence or electronic support could shape future warfare. Exploration of “non‑contact war” concepts and whether precision strikes can win or just erode capabilities. Inside look at Moscow’s criminal underworld: fragile truces between kingpins, rising younger contenders, and triggers that could shatter the uneasy balance.
8 snips
Mar 1, 2026 • 52min
In Moscow's Shadows 238: Bangers and Mish
They discuss how US‑Israel strikes on Iran could reshape Russia’s strategic position and regional rivalries. Energy and insurance shocks from threats to Hormuz and their upside for Russian revenues get explored. They decode Mikhail Mishustin’s Duma report, portraying technocrats’ plans to move the economy beyond resource dependence. The piece flags budget pressures, social pacification measures, and limits on political power.
Feb 22, 2026 • 1h 2min
In Moscow's Shadows 237: How A 1552 Siege Explains A 2022 Invasion
A tight comparison of a 1552 siege and the 2022 invasion through logistics, planning, and command choices. It highlights the rise of purpose-built armies, the power of engineers and specialists, and the payoff of long logistics hubs. It contrasts morale, patronage versus competence, and how war reshapes a state’s institutions and future direction.
Feb 15, 2026 • 53min
In Moscow's Shadows 236: What Is Russia?
Discussion of Navalny's death, intelligence attribution language, and how Western politics responded. A shift in Russia's Geneva negotiation team and what that signals about Kremlin strategy. Skeptical take on Russian links in the Epstein affair versus institutional failures. Two books frame Russia as a hybrid, fluid society coping with globalisation and deglobalisation pressures.
Feb 10, 2026 • 28min
In Moscow's Shadows Bonus Minipod: Rebel Russia
Anna Arutunyan, author and analyst who wrote Rebel Russia, explores Russia’s long history of uprisings and dissent. She explains how weak social solidarity prevents lasting institutions. She argues revolutions can erase the very spaces needed for democracy. She highlights Navalny’s grassroots, rule-of-law approach and ordinary Russians as pragmatic catalysts for gradual change.
Feb 8, 2026 • 53min
In Moscow's Shadows 235: From a GRU to a Kill
A high‑profile Russian intelligence chief is shot in Moscow and the conversation hunts for who might be behind it. The episode traces his Spetsnaz roots, GRU rise and role in Syria and 2022 operations. It explores rivalries with Wagner, possible Kremlin or Ukrainian motives, and what the attack reveals about gaps in Russia's security services.
23 snips
Feb 3, 2026 • 22min
In Moscow's Shadows Bonus Minipod: How Putin Is Protected
A compact tour of the extraordinary layers that shield a modern autocrat. Short scenes describe rooftop snipers, sealed manholes and street closures before motorcades. You hear about an armoured Aurus limo, a secretive presidential train with unlisted schedules, and palace spoofing and GPS tricks. Food tasters, bodily-sample testing and the scale of security machinery round out the picture.
