Best Russia News Podcasts (2025)

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Putin’s 25 Years In Power 32:16

Play Pause

7M ago32:16

32:16

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 in power to this day. Analyst and author Mark Galeotti joins the host to discuss Putin’s 25-year rule.By Steve Gutterman

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The War In Ukraine In 2025 24:39

8M ago24:39

24:39

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 Gutterman to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine, including the prospects for a cease-fire in 2025 and the role that public opinion in Russia, Ukraine, and the West could p…

1
'The Idea Seemed Insane': Behind Putin's Invasion Of Ukraine 36:43

8M ago36:43

36:43

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 turn toward autocracy, and other factors behind the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.By Steve Gutterman

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Escalation And Endgame 18:08

8M ago18:08

18:08

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 discuss what the rush of recent developments could mean for the war in Ukraine.By Steve Gutterman

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Elections, War, And Sabotage 26:38

9M ago26:38

26:38

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 Russia's sabotage campaign in Europe.By Steve Gutterman

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'Distraction Dividend': Moscow's Aims And Actions In The Middle East 37:11

9M ago37:11

37:11

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 rewards, but it also faces risks posed by its footprint in the volatile region. Hanna Notte, director for Eurasia at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies…

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Perception And Reality In The War Against Ukraine 24:45

10M ago24:45

24:45

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 Deyermond, senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the situation on the battlefield and the latest…

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Zelenskiy's Trip, Putin's Threat 29:16

10M ago29:16

29:16

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 Putin issued yet another nuclear threat. Analyst and author Mark Galeotti joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss what it all means for the war in Ukraine.…

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August Surprise: Ukraine's Incursion Into Russia's Kursk Region 27:29

12M ago27:29

27:29

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 issues with Oleg Ignatov, a senior analyst for Russia at the International Crisis Group.By Steve Gutterman

1
Plug It, Mute It, or Hear It 8:52

2y ago8:52

8:52

The words for things that shut out sound and let you hear it are the same in Russian. Of course they are.By Michele A. Berdy

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Alexei Navalny and the Secret List of Forbidden Words 9:44

2y ago9:44

9:44

It's hard to know where general language ends and criminal slangs begins.By Michele A. Berdy

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And Yet It's Nevertheless, All the Same, After All 8:37

2y ago8:37

8:37

The joy of particles (not).By Michele A. Berdy

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A Guide to Giving a Bribe in Russian 8:20

2y ago8:20

8:20

What you say when you bribe depends on whether you want something or they want something.By Michele A. Berdy

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Who is Gulya and Why Do We Care About Her Nose? 8:30

2y ago8:30

8:30

The preposition "c" has some weird constructions.By Michele A. Berdy

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Spitting, Eating Your Teeth and Other Weird Gestures 8:35

2y ago8:35

8:35

When a person eats his teeth, is that bad or good? Or even possible?By Michele A. Berdy

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Take Your Pick: Mutiny, Coup, Uprising or Nothing 10:59

2y ago10:59

10:59

What happened last week is a changing story that depends on speaker, day, mood and the subjunctive.By Michele A. Berdy

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Wait - What Russian Month is This? 10:23

2y ago10:23

10:23

If you thought you knew the names of the months in Russian, think again.By Michele A. Berdy

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What's in a Name? With Russian Holidays - Everything 12:12

2y ago12:12

12:12

This week Russia celebrated Russia Day. If you have no idea what that holiday is, join the gang.By Michele A. Berdy

1
A Gathering of Witches, Dues, Herbs and Classmates 8:37

2y ago8:37

8:37

Сбор and сборы are unusual words: sometimes the singular and plural forms have unrelated meanings.By Michele A. Berdy

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Buy a Brilliant and Applaud an Artist 8:40

2y ago8:40

8:40

Oh, those false friends... every translator's nightmare.By Michele A. Berdy

1
Tricks of the Trade 9:52

2y ago9:52

9:52

Using the right verb and the right case to express changing and exchanging is a big headache.By Michele A. Berdy

1
Under the Mighty Oak I Sit, Stupidly 10:04

2y ago10:04

10:04

Sitting on stumps, falling out of trees and stepping in rotten logs figure prominently in Russian expressions.By Michele A. Berdy

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The Cat Cried and Ran By 11:15

2+ y ago11:15

11:15

Cats are popular pets In Russia but unpopular in folk expressions.By Michele A. Berdy

1
Serving and Not Serving in the Military 8:47

2+ y ago8:47

8:47

The confusing terminology of conscripts, reservists and draft dodgers.By Michele A. Berdy

1
Two Words, Three Letters and Ten Meanings 8:48

2+ y ago8:48

8:48

Oh, the joy of little Russian words.By Michele A. Berdy

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How a Saint Becomes a Sinner 9:34

2+ y ago9:34

9:34

How some Russian words change meaning in and out of church.By Michele A. Berdy

1
Of Courtyards, Grifters and Days Off 9:13

2+ y ago9:13

9:13

All about things and people that pass by, pass through, and ought to pass off forever.By Michele A. Berdy

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Shame That is Cringeworthy 7:57

2+ y ago7:57

7:57

Understanding teenagers is a struggle that makes you cringe.By Michele A. Berdy

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Of Ear Noodles and Maniacal Printers 10:14

2+ y ago10:14

10:14

How you can spend a day translating three words.By Michele A. Berdy

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Please Don't Hit on Me, Bug Me, or Harass Me 7:06

2+ y ago7:06

7:06

How everyone from gangsters to presidents keep people calm and in their place.By Michele A. Berdy

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A Pocketful of Somethings 8:10

2+ y ago8:10

8:10

How can I say something? Let me count the ways.By Michele A. Berdy

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A Year of the Language of War 10:53

2+ y ago10:53

10:53

A new set of language norms have taken hold in Russia.By Michele A. Berdy

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The Ears Have It 7:58

2+ y ago7:58

7:58

Russian ears are more athletic than English ears.By Michele A. Berdy

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Travels, Trips and Tours 10:51

2+ y ago10:51

10:51

Trips with goals, aimless travels, and all-inclusive tourist packages.By Michele A. Berdy

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Starting Anew or Again or Freshly Baked 8:54

2+ y ago8:54

8:54

A few thoughts on new being old or next or just the same old thing over and over again.By Michele A. Berdy

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Mark My Words: How to Remember and Forget 8:36

2+ y ago8:36

8:36

How to remember and how to forget are good skills to have whatever your language.By The Moscow Times

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Mark My Words: How to Remember and Forget [old] 8:03

2+ y ago8:03

8:03

How to remember and how to forget are good skills to have whatever your language.By The Moscow Times

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The Hopeless Quest for Language Purity 9:20

2+ y ago9:20

9:20

Russian legislators keep making laws to keep Russian pure. It's not working.By Michele A. Berdy

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Words of the Year 2022 9:56

2+ y ago9:56

9:56

The annual Words of the Year compendium is dark, bleak and brutal.By Michele A. Berdy

1
Angry? Join the Zoo 8:54

2+ y ago8:54

8:54

Fierce, furious and furry - that's you when you're mad.By Michele A. Berdy

1
Get Russian-Ready for Seasons Greetings 9:41

2+ y ago9:41

9:41

Take two little words - хлеб (bread) and соль (salt) - put them together and get something grand.By Michele A. Berdy

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Russian Pandemonium Pop Quiz 10:56

2+ y ago10:56

10:56

How do you say chaos in Russian? Let me count the ways.By The Moscow Times

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The New Russian Revolutionary Language 13:23

2+ y ago13:23

13:23

NewSpeak, new letters and a new level of crude language used by the Russian elite.By Michele A. Berdy

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To Err is Human in Every Language 8:51

3y ago8:51

8:51

The fine art of admitting your mistakes in Russian.By Michele A. Berdy

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Why is There a Dog in Your Email? 10:17

3y ago10:17

10:17

From the annals of punctuation and typographical history.By Michele A. Berdy

1
Гойда! They Shouted. Say What? 9:56

3y ago9:56

9:56

What were they shouting on Red Square and should we worry?By Michele A. Berdy

1
Newspeak for the Russian New Economic Policy 10:20

3y ago10:20

10:20

Happy talk in Russian media sources. "Negative growth" and lots of "stability."By Michele A. Berdy

1
Newspeak in the New Russia 9:52

3y ago9:52

9:52

What they say and what they mean are two very different things.By Michele A. Berdy

1
Good King... Who? 7:36

3y ago7:36

7:36

Why did King Charles III get a different name in Russian?By The Moscow Times

1
What's In a (Dog's) Name? 8:10

3y ago8:10

8:10

If you had a Russian dog or a dog in Russia, what would you name it? The fascinating world of Russian dog names, old and new.By Michele A. Berdy