The Week Ahead In Russia podcast takes a hard look at developments in Russia, its war against Ukraine, and its relations with the rest of the world. It's hosted by Steve Gutterman, author of RFE/RL's The Week In Russia newsletter, and features a rotating panel of guests.
Latest episodes
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32 min
Putin’s 25 Years In Power
On December 31, 1999, Boris Yeltsin stepped down and handed Russia’s reins to Vladimir Putin, the former KGB officer he had named prime minister months earlier -- and who remains i…
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25 min
The War In Ukraine In 2025
Sam Greene, professor at the King’s Russia Institute at King’s College London and director of democratic resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis, joins host Steve Gut…
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37 min
'The Idea Seemed Insane': Behind Putin's Invasion Of Ukraine
Lucian Kim, author of the new book Putin's Revenge: Why Russia Invaded Ukraine, joins the host to discuss Putin's growing resentment, Russia's imperialist legacy, the Kremlin's tur…
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18 min
Escalation And Endgame
U.S. permission for Ukrainian strikes deeper in Russian territory. A new Russian nuclear doctrine and a ballistic missile attack. Olga Oliker of the Crisis Group joins the host to…
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27 min
Elections, War, And Sabotage
What does Donald Trump's election mean for the war in Ukraine? Author and analyst Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the ramifications of the U.S. vote and examine…
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37 min
'Distraction Dividend': Moscow's Aims And Actions In The Middle East
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…
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25 min
Perception And Reality In The War Against Ukraine
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 D…
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29 min
Zelenskiy's Trip, Putin's Threat
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 Pu…
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27 min
August Surprise: Ukraine's Incursion Into Russia's Kursk Region
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 issue…
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22 min
On The Battlefield In Ukraine
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…
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23 min
What Biden's Withdrawal And Trump's VP Pick Mean For The War In Ukraine
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…
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34 min
The Deadly Legacy Of MH17
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,…
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21 min
War, Elections, And Summitry
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.…
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32 min
Fights For The Future
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?…
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23 min
One Year After The Wagner Mutiny
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…
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25 min
On The Battlefield And Beyond
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 differenc…
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24 min
Striking Inside Russia
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…
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29 min
History Under Fire
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…
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31 min
A Shake-Up And A New Offensive
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…
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39 min
War, Peace, And Containment
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 Democ…