Artwork for Russian Roulette
News

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

  • 164 episodes
  • Updated July 27
  • 1 subscribers

Episodes164

  • Jan 29, 2019 · 30 min

    Of Russia and the New Congress – Russian Roulette Episode 75

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Louis Lauter, Vice President for Congressional and Government Affairs at CSIS, and Colin McElhinny, Associate Director and Associate Fellow for Congressional and Government Affairs at CSIS. They discuss the role of Congress in U.S. relations with Russia, attitudes and approaches to Russia in the new Congress, and what sanctions legislation may be on the horizon. Note that this episode was recorded on January 25, before the government shutdown had ended. You can learn more about Louis, here, https://www.csis.org/people/louis-lauter, and Colin, here, https://www.csis.org/people/colin-mcelhinny. Be sure to check out their excellent work measuring the internationalism of Congress, here: https://www.csis.org/features/beyond-waters-edge We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Jan 15, 2019 · 40 min

    Of the Day after INF, and Mail – Russian Roulette Episode 74

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Adam Mount, a Senior Fellow and the Director of the Defense Posture Project at the Federation of American Scientists, to discuss the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, its apparent demise, and the future of nuclear arms control. Then, Jeff answers our listeners’ mailbag questions on missile defense, the link between national identity and security orders in the post-Soviet region, and the future of Crimea. Check out Adam’s bio and his recent publications, here: https://fas.org/expert/adam-mount/ We answered your mail, and we need more! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Jan 1, 2019 · 42 min

    Of an Old Year (and New Beginnings)

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Olya and Jeff offer their take on a busy 2018 in Russia and Eurasia: the Mueller investigation, Vladimir Putin 4.0, Skripal, the World Cup, Trump and Putin’s Helsinki encounter, a new government in Armenia, the Sea of Azov crisis. It's all here, and much, much more. 2018 brought some good news and some bad news. In the latter category, we are sad to report that this is the final episode of Russian Roulette featuring co-host Olya Oliker (though not the final episode of Russian Roulette, nor, likely, even the final episode with Olya participating). Olya is off to an exciting new position as head the Europe & Central Asia division of the International Crisis Group. Olya bids her farewell and thanks to all Russian Roulette listeners. This has been one of her favorite parts of the job, and your support made it possible. Meanwhile, Jeff will continue to carry the Russian Roulette torch into 2019. It’s a New Year and we need new mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you. С наступающим 2019 годом!

  • Dec 18, 2018 · 29 min

    Of Ukraine’s Election Campaign – Russian Roulette Episode 72

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Melinda Haring, Editor of the UkraineAlert blog at the Atlantic Council and a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. They discuss the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine: the candidates, the issues, how it’s likely to play out, and what it all means for Ukraine and for the West. You can view Melinda’s bio, here, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/about/experts/list/melinda-haring#fullbio, and follow the excellent UkraineAlert blog, here, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert. Check out video of a recent CSIS event on Ukraine’s elections, here: https://www.csis.org/events/ukraines-election-campaign. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Dec 5, 2018 · 42 min

    Of Famine and Memory in Kazakhstan – Russian Roulette Episode 71

    In this episode, Jeff sits down with Sarah Cameron, associate professor of history at the University of Maryland and author of the recent book The Hungry Steppe: Famine, Violence, and the Making of Soviet Kazakhstan (Cornell University Press, 2018), which examines an important though oft-overlooked episode in Soviet collectivization, the Kazakh famine of 1930-33. They discuss the causes and consequences of the famine; Sarah’s experience researching the topic in Kazakhstan; why the Kazakh famine is so little known in the West; how Kazakh society interacts with this episode of its history; and the state (and politics) of scholarship on Soviet collectivization. You can view Sarah’s bio, here, http://history.umd.edu/users/scameron, and you can purchase her book, here: http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/?GCOI=80140109782010 As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Nov 20, 2018 · 41 min

    Of Bipartisanship and Bilateral Relations – Russian Roulette Episode 70

    In this episode, Jeff sits down with Philip Stewart, Director of the Program in Dialogue in Organizations at the International Institute for Sustained Dialogue, and a Senior Associate at the Kettering Foundation. Phil directs a bipartisan dialogue on U.S. policy towards Russia—a Track 2 for Republicans and Democrats designed to formulate a sustainable U.S. policy towards Russia. They discuss the structure and content of the meetings, how Russia factors in U.S. domestic politics, and Phil’s impressions from a recent trip to Moscow of how Russia’s domestic political landscape is evolving. You can read some of Philip’s earlier publications, here, https://www.kettering.org/content/phil-stewart, or view his work history, here, https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-stewart-a3009413/. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Nov 6, 2018 · 41 min

    Of Sanctions – Russian Roulette Episode 69

    On this election day 2018, Jeff sits down with Elizabeth Rosenberg, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for New American Security (CNAS) for a sanctions-themed episode of Russian Roulette. They discuss the strategy and evolution of the Russia sanctions program, what effects sanctions have had on the economy and politics of Russia, the risks to the United States of over-relying on sanctions, and how Russia sanctions factor into U.S. domestic politics in 2018 and beyond. You can view Elizabeth’s bio and recent publications, here: https://www.cnas.org/people/elizabeth-rosenberg Having trouble navigating the web of U.S. sanctions against Russia? We organized them for you. Check out the CSIS Russia Sanctions Tracker @ https://russiasanctionstracker.csis.org/ As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Oct 24, 2018 · 33 min

    Of Russia and the European Far Right – Russian Roulette Episode 68

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Marlene Laruelle, a research professor at the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University, associate director of the Institute for Europe, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, and co-director of PONARS (Program on New Approaches to Research and Security in Eurasia). Not least, Marlene is editor of the forthcoming collected volume Entangled Far Rights: A Russian-European Intellectual Romance in the Twentieth Century (November 6, 2018: University of Pittsburgh Press). They discuss the genesis and evolution of European-Russian far right connections, how Russia does and doesn’t influence the European far right today, and, shifting to a debate in the Eurasia academic community, the use of the term “fascist” to describe contemporary Russia. You can view Marlene’s bio and recent publications, here: https://elliott.gwu.edu/marlene-laruelle We encourage you to preorder her edited volume, here: https://www.amazon.com/Entangled-Far-Rights-Russian-European-Intellectual/dp/0822965658 As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Oct 9, 2018 · 42 min

    Of Insecurity In Between – Russian Roulette Episode 67

    In this episode, Olya and Jeff sit down with Sam Charap, a senior political scientist at RAND Corp and coauthor of the recent RAND report “Rethinking the Regional Order for Post-Soviet Europe and Eurasia,” which explores solutions to the dilemma of mutually exclusive Russian and Western integration paths for six “in between” countries: Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. We discuss the report’s findings and the viability of this third path to European security, as well as U.S.-Russia relations, Ukraine’s future, and European security writ large. You can view Sam’s bio and recent publications, here: https://www.rand.org/about/people/c/charap_samuel.html#overview And you can read the report, here: https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE297.html and Sam’s book on the Ukraine crisis, co-authored with Timothy Colton, here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781138633087 As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Sep 25, 2018 · 36 min

    Of Alexander Litvinenko (and mail) – Russian Roulette Episode 66

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Marina Litvinenko, an activist, campaigner, and the widow of Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian dissident poisoned in London by agents of the Russian government in 2006. They discuss Marina’s campaign to raise awareness about the Russian government’s illicit activity abroad, continuities between her husband’s case and the recent Skripal poisonings in Salisbury, Russian state propaganda, and more. Then, Olya and Jeff answer some mailbag questions from our esteemed Russian Roulette listeners. For an account of Alexander Litvinenko’s activities as a whistleblower and his subsequent murder, we encourage you to read Death of a Dissident, coauthored by Marina Litvinenko and Alex Goldfarb. You can read more about Marina and Alex’s legal campaign against Russian state propaganda, here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/06/alexander-litvinenko-alex-goldfarb-sues-russian-tv-channels-for-libels As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Sep 11, 2018 · 47 min

    Of Grassroots Activism in Russia – Russian Roulette Episode 65

    In this episode, Olya and Jeff sit down with Evgeniya Chirikova, a Russian environmental activist who got her start organizing opposition to a planned highway project that would destroy swathes of the federally-protected Khimki forest near Moscow. Our discussion of her efforts to save Khimki forest spills into a broader one about grassroots activism in Russia, its lessons, and its prospects. You can read more about Evgeniya’s career, work and activism, here: https://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/evgenia-chirikova/ Check out Evgeniya’s website and project, Activatica, here: http://activatica.org/. Activatica is a digital communication platform that aims to build a network of activists in Russia around the word. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Aug 28, 2018 · 37 min

    Of Putinism and Codes – Russian Roulette Episode 64

    In this episode, Olga and Jeff sit down with Brian Taylor to talk about his new book, The Code of Putinism. Brian is a professor of political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and his book provides a framework for thinking about Russian domestic and foreign policy. This podcast is a companion to the book launch CSIS hosted for The Code of Putinism, so we strongly recommend you check out both. The book launch discussion, which also featured Stephen Hanson, Vice Provost for International Affairs at William and Marry College, is available here: https://www.csis.org/events/code-putinism-book-launch-event You can view Brian’s bio and other publications, here: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/psc/Taylor,_Brian/ If you would like to purchase The Code of Putinism, it is available in many fine bookstores. If you prefer your books delivered to your door, Olya asks that you consider an independent seller: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780190867324 As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Aug 14, 2018 · 44 min

    Of Eurasia, in 44 Minutes – Russian Roulette Episode 63

    In this episode, Olya and Jeff sit down with Bill Courtney for a complete tour d’Eurasie. Bill is an adjunct senior fellow at the RAND Corporation and a former career foreign service officer. He served as ambassador to Georgia, Kazakhstan, and the U.S.-Soviet Bilateral Consultative Commission, and covered Russia and Eurasia on the NSC. We discuss the Russian economy, from taxi drivers and pension reform to sanctions and business conditions, and recent developments in Georgia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Armenia. At 3:34, Olya erroneously states that the minimum retirement age for women in Russia is being raised to 60. It is being raised to 63. At 34:20 Jeff mentions the evolution of the term “Eastern Europe.” For context, we recommend you read Timothy Garten Ash’s article on the topic, here: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1986/10/09/does-central-europe-exist/. You can view Bill’s (illustrious) bio and read his recent publications, here: https://www.rand.org/about/people/c/courtney_william.html. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Jul 31, 2018 · 38 min

    Of Cold War Poland and Today’s Hot Topics - Russian Roulette Episode 62

    In this episode, Jeff sits down with Seth G. Jones, director of the Transnational Threats Project and a senior adviser to the International Security Program at CSIS, to discuss Seth’s forthcoming book, A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle in Poland, and the legacy of Cold War political warfare. You can view Seth’s bio and recent publications, here: https://www.csis.org/people/seth-g-jones. We encourage you to pre-order his book, here: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=4294995524. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Jul 17, 2018 · 47 min

    Of Summitry and Asummitry–Russian Roulette Episode 61

    Jeff and Jeff take center stage in our sixty-first episode of Russian Roulette. Jeff Mankoff sits down with Jeff Rathke, senior fellow and deputy director of the Europe Program at CSIS to discuss major takeaways from the most recent NATO summit, as well as the upcoming (at the time of recording) Trump-Putin bilateral meeting. Then, Jeff Mankoff tackles new mailbag questions, with some help from Research Associate and Producer, Cyrus Newlin. You can view Jeff Rathke’s bio and publications, here: https://www.csis.org/people/jeffrey-rathke. For more summitry, be sure to catch his appearance on our sister podcast, The Readout, here: https://www.csis.org/podcasts/readout. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Jun 19, 2018 · 41 min

    Of Proliferants and Nonproliferants – Russian Roulette Episode 60

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, we sit down with Andrey Baklitskiy. Andrey is a consultant with the PIR Center in Moscow who writes and speaks on arms control and nonproliferation issues. We discuss Russian approaches to nonproliferation, Iran and North Korea, the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and the future of arms control. You can read Andrey’s bio and some of his recent articles here: http://www.pircenter.org/en/experts/25-2147658. Olya and Andrey’s recently coauthored article, “The Nuclear Posture Review and Russian ‘De-Escalation:’ A Dangerous Solution to a Nonexistent Problem,” is available for you to read, here: https://warontherocks.com/2018/02/nuclear-posture-review-russian-de-escalation-dangerous-solution-nonexistent-problem/. We encourage you to read the final report and discussion papers from our U.S.-Russia Crisis Stability dialogue here: https://www.csis.org/programs/russia-and-eurasia-program/us-russia-crisis-stability-results-track-ii-dialogue. You can watch Olya, Andrey, and Sharon Squassoni of George Washington University discuss the results of that dialogue here: https://www.csis.org/events/us-russia-crisis-stability-results-strategic-dialogue. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Jun 5, 2018 · 43 min

    Of Russia’s Political Economy, and Grad Students in Basements – Russian Roulette Episode 59

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Aaron Schwartzbaum, the founder and former editor-in-chief of BMB Russia (formerly the Bear Market Brief), a daily news brief and blog covering Russia’s economy, politics, business climate, and political risk environment. They discuss the Russian economy (myths, facts, and mysteries, as well as Russia’s economic outlook), Aaron’s experience starting and running BMB Russia, and how generational differences shape U.S. policy towards Russia. We encourage you to read and sign up for BMB Russia, here: https://bearmarketbrief.com/ You can view Aaron’s bio, here: https://www.fpri.org/contributor/aaron-schwartzbaum/. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • May 22, 2018 · 28 min

    Of Russian Military Reforms from Georgia to Syria – Russian Roulette Episode 58

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Olya sits down with Anton Lavrov, a visiting fellow with the Russia and Eurasia Program at CSIS and an independent defense analyst affiliated with the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST). Anton is a leading specialist on Russia’s 2008 war in Georgia, and a widely-cited expert on Russian military capabilities and Russian operations abroad. Olya and Anton discuss Russian military reforms, what new capabilities Russia demonstrated in Syria, and where the Russian military may (or may not) be heading. You can view Anton’s bio, here, https://www.csis.org/programs/russia-and-eurasia-program/fellows, and watch his recent presentation at CSIS, here: https://www.csis.org/events/russian-armed-forces-syria-assessing-russian-reforms We’ll link to Anton’s forthcoming report for the CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program as soon as it is published. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • May 8, 2018 · 39 min

    Of Armaments and Armenia: Russian Roulette Episode 57

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Olya sits down with Leonid Nersisyan, Military Analyst at the REGNUM Information Agency and Editor in Chief of the Moscow-based New Defense Order Strategy magazine. They discuss the state of military analysis in Russia, including Leonid’s experience running a military affairs magazine; the Russian military-industrial complex and how defense contracts work in Russia; some of Russia’s new strategic systems; and the INF treaty and the future of U.S.-Russia arms control. Then, Olya and Jeff sit down for an overdue current affairs segment, where they tackle the latest political developments in Armenia, which has had a very exciting few weeks of protests, culminating in a new Prime Minister. To read some of Leonid’s English-language analysis, check out his National Interest pieces, here: http://nationalinterest.org/profile/leonid-nersisyan. Watch Leonid’s public presentation at CSIS, here: https://www.csis.org/events/putins-new-strategic-systems-plans-realities-and-prospects You can read New Defense Order Strategy, here: http://en.dfnc.ru/ And check out our recent CSIS event on Armenia, here: https://www.csis.org/events/armenias-new-challenges-how-should-west-respond As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Apr 24, 2018 · 48 min

    Of Reading Russia—And Our Mail - Russian Roulette Episode 56

    In this episode of Russian Roulette, Olya and Jeff answer the mail! (yes, it has been too long without a mailbag). Then, Olya sits down with Michael Kimmage, a professor of history at Catholic University who from 2014-2016 held the Russia/Ukraine portfolio on the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State. They discuss Russian literature: the essential works (including those less known in the West); how literature expands and complicates America’s understanding of Russia (and vice versa); film, animation, and Russian normalcy; the role of books and prose in Russian politics and society; and why policymakers in Washington should read Russian literature now more than ever. For more information on Michael and for a list of his publications, click here: https://history.catholic.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/kimmage-michael/index.html For your reference and reading enjoyment, here are some of the books, poets, films, and animations discussed in the episode: Books and Poets One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Aleksander Solzhenitsyn: https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/one-day-in-the-life-of-ivan-denisovich/pics/ The “Silver Age” of Russian poetry, including early works by Anna Akhmatova, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anna-akhmatova, and Boris Pasternak, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/boris-pasternak The Brothers Karamazov, https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Karamazov-Fyodor-Dostoevsky/dp/0374528373 , and Crime and Punishment, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2554/2554-h/2554-h.htm, by Fyodor Dostoevsky Life and Fate, by Vasily Grossman: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Fate-Review-Books-Classics/dp/1590172019 The early works of Lyudmila Petrushevskaya: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/310394/there-once-lived-a-girl-who-seduced-her-sisters-husband-and-he-hanged-himself-by-ludmilla-petrushevskaya/9780143121527/ ; https://granta.com/our-circle/ A Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow, by Aleksander Radishchev: https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Saint-Petersburg-Moscow/dp/0674485505 War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy: https://www.amazon.com/War-Peace-Translated-Volokhonsky-Classics-ebook/dp/B005JSZJVS Film The Irony of Fate: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073179/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl Animation Nu, Pogodi! (Just You Wait!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K1j8CoOoks As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that...