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Russian Roulette

Center for Strategic and International Studies

Hosted by Max Bergmann and Dr. Maria Snegovaya of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at CSIS, Russian Roulette explores the politics, history, and complex societies of Russia and Eurasia. Tune in for fascinating interviews and discussions on some of the biggest questions facing the broader post-Soviet space. Produced by David Lotfi, Lexi Linafelter, and Nicholas Fenton

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170 episodes
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Avg 44 min
English

Episodes 170

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January 22 · 45 min
Thresholds of Survival: The Latest Report on Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Occupation by Jade McGlynn
Max and Maria spoke with Jade McGlynn about her latest report on Ukrainian resistance in the Russian occupied territories of Ukraine.
January 8 · 1 hr 20 min
Adam Entous on U.S.-Ukraine Relations in 2025
Adam Entous of The New York Times shares his in-depth investigation exploring the Trump Administration's policies towards Ukraine in 2025.
Dec 18, 2025 · 47 min
Sergey Radchenko on Ukraine Peace Negotiations
Max and Maria spoke with Sergey Radchenko about the state of affairs in peace negotiations over Ukraine as we come to the close of 2025. They discuss the different parties' goals and positions, and how this current round of negotiations compares to the talks in Istanbul at the start of the full-scale invasion back in 2022.
Dec 1, 2025 · 26 min
The Latest 28-Point Peace Plan for Ukraine
Max speaks with Michael Kimmage about his immediate reactions to the new 28-point peace plan for Ukraine, and the rapid-fire diplomacy taking place in response to its release.
Nov 20, 2025 · 45 min
The Increased Level of Repressions Within the Russian Elite
Max and Maria spoke with Nikolay Petrov and Mikhail Troitskiy, two leading experts on the contemporary Russian elite, to discuss the current status of this ruling group inside Russia today, and why it finds itself increasingly under pressure from state security organs.
Nov 10, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
Russian and Ukrainian Battlefield Adaptations with Dara Massicot and Kateryna Bondar
Max and Maria had a livestreamed conversation in the CSIS Brack Studio with Dara Massicot and Kateryna Bondar to discuss Russian and Ukrainian battlefield adaptations and technological innovations.
Oct 25, 2025 · 43 min
The Impact of New Sanctions and Ukrainian Deep Strikes on the Russian Energy Industry with Clayton Seigle
Max and Maria spoke with Clayton Seigle about how new sanctions from the Trump administration could potentially impact Russian energy revenues. Additionally, they discussed the effects of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries.
Oct 21, 2025 · 50 min
The 2025 Moldovan Parliamentary Elections
Max and Maria spoke with Leah Kieff and Vlad Lupan about the outcomes of the recent Moldovan parliamentary elections at the end of September, and why they're significant for both Moldova, and the broader region.
Oct 7, 2025 · 46 min
The Russia-India Relationship with Tina Dolbaia and Vasabjit Banerjee
Max sat down with Tina Dolbaia and Vasabjit Banerjee to talk about their new CSIS paper, "Guns and Oil: Continuity and Change in Russia-India Relations." They delve into the history of the Russia-India relationship, how it's been impacted by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and what to watch for going forward.
Sep 22, 2025 · 1 hr
Michael McFaul on Trump, Putin, and Autocrats vs. Democrats
Max and Maria spoke with Stanford professor and former ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul to talk about his latest book, and where things stand today in U.S.-Russia relations.
Sep 4, 2025 · 45 min
Jade McGlynn with an Update from Ukraine
Max spoke with Jade McGlynn while she was traveling in Ukraine about the war effort and life under Russian occupation. They also discussed recent protests over the Zelenskyy administration’s attempts to limit the independence of anti-corruption agencies.
Aug 21, 2025 · 27 min
Max and Maria on the Alaska and White House Peace Summits
Max and Maria give their takes on the recent efforts to negotiate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
Aug 7, 2025 · 45 min
Has Putinism Failed? A Conversation with Harley Balzer and Sergei Guriev
Max and Maria spoke with Harley Balzer and Sergei Guriev about the recently released volume, Failure. Russia Under Putin.
Jul 28, 2025 · 50 min
Max and Michael Kimmage Catch Up on All Things Russia and Ukraine
This week, Max spoke with Michael Kimmage about the recent headlines connected to Russia and Ukraine, and what they mean for the coming months.
Jul 15, 2025 · 47 min
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Geopolitics in the South Caucasus
Max and Maria are joined by Richard Giragosian and Jeffrey Mankoff to talk about the current geopolitical moment in the South Caucasus, with a particular focus on the dynamics at play in the relationships between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia.
Jun 27, 2025 · 36 min
Hanna Notte on What the Israel-Iran War Means for Russia
Hanna Notte returns to the show for a conversation with Max and Maria about what the most recent round of hostilities between Israel and Iran, plus the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, mean for Russia's own Middle Eastern strategy.
Jun 26, 2025 · 1 hr 29 min
Bonus Episode: The Russian Wartime Economy (Live Event Recording)
Max moderated a live panel discussion with Maria, and two leading experts on the Russian economy, Elina Ribakova and Vladislav Inozemtsev.
Jun 20, 2025 · 49 min
A Battlefield Update from Mike Kofman
Max and Maria get another update from military expert Mike Kofman on the state of the frontlines in Ukraine.
Jun 3, 2025 · 36 min
The Ukrainian Economy Today with Elina Ribakova
Elina Ribakova returned to the show to speak with Max and Maria about the evolution of the Ukrainian economy since February 2022.
May 16, 2025 · 53 min
Chokepoints and Economic Warfare with Edward Fishman
Max and Maria spoke with Edward Fishman about his bestselling book, Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare.

Showing 21–40 of 170 episodes