She's In Russia

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A podcast where two best friends — one in St. Petersburg and the other in Brooklyn — call each other and talk about Russia.

Olivia Capozzalo and Smith Freeman


    • Mar 6, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 53m AVG DURATION
    • 113 EPISODES

    4.6 from 66 ratings Listeners of She's In Russia that love the show mention: relations, russian, called, media, perspectives, ladies, smart, women, topic, well done, thoughtful, refreshing, informative, relatable, insightful, listen, good, funny, like, great.



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    Latest episodes from She's In Russia

    110: Everybody hates Russia

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2022 103:03


    We check in about what's been happening in and to Russia since the “special military operation” started in Ukraine. Why most of Lily's Russian friends are leaving or thinking about leaving, peoples' fears about the current situation and future of being in Russia, and the humanitarian effects of mass sanctions and corporate virtue signaling against Russia. Links we referenced: https://musatkin.com/iran-sanctions/ https://journal.tinkoff.ru/news/brands-left-russia/ Past eps we mentioned: Maslenitsa: https://soundcloud.com/shes-in-russia/90-death-bliny Telegram: https://soundcloud.com/shes-in-russia/60-bear-with-a-stick-telegram-pt-1 https://soundcloud.com/shes-in-russia/61-whipping-boy-telegram-pt-2 VPNs and other resources: https://telegra.ph/CHto-delat-pri-otklyuchenii-interneta-02-27 Telegram channel: https://t.me/zatelecom

    109: Ukraine Explain

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2022 82:56


    SIR has reunited once again to revisit the latest saga in the conflict with Ukraine, partially so that Lily's brain doesn't explode trying to explain to people separately or so she doesn't start writing things on the internet she will likely regret later. First we get into some historical context to this latest wave of the crisis/conflict/war in Ukraine (which we remind, started in 2014). Also, we talk about how the mostly always ignored regular people from Donbass(aka self-declared Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics) are feeling about this latest escalation. Our past Ukrainian conflict eps: https://soundcloud.com/shes-in-russia/sets/ukraine?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

    108: "Pogrom"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2020 49:52


    Are riots good? Are protests good? Plus Lily gives the etymology of the word pogrom.

    107: Ukrainian War Prop

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2020 54:12


    Family history and Ukraine's war-time propaganda machine in Lugansk.

    106: Telegram Saga

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2020 53:48


    Lily gets updates on coronavirus in Russia from America and tells the story of Telegram's failed blockchain platform.

    105: Potato Healing

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2020 60:50


    Petersburg doesn’t care about corona, Russian medicine, Soviet nostalgia and Ivan Chai.

    104: Krestos Voskres

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2020 62:22


    Russian Orthodox Easter greetings and cake, Lily registers her new car.

    103: My Brilliant Friend

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2020 64:50


    Lily's finally reading Ferrante. Also a small COVID-19 in Russia update. And a tour of an abandoned experimental soviet neighborhood built in the late 1920s (Кондратьевский Жилмассив//Kondratyevsky Residential Area?)

    102: Coronareunion

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2020 74:21


    In these times of troubles, SIR is back to update you on Russia’s response to COVID-19.

    Undefined Hiatus

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2019 14:08


    Undefined Hiatus by Olivia Capozzalo and Smith Freeman

    101: An Evening with Norstein

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2019 47:48


    Lily went to see an artistic evening with animator Yuri Norstein, best known for his movies Hedgehog in the Fog and Tale of Tales.

    100: Eurotrash Rennovation

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2019 45:27


    Lily returns to St. Petersburg. We talk about Soviet interior design, the Mongol Yoke and ordering Kosher on Aeroflot.

    99: Taking a Shvitz

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2019 41:26


    We tell the tale of the legendary 10th St. baths in New York. Also known as The Shvitz or the Russian and Turkish Baths or simply The Baths, the place has been co-owned by two Soviet immigrants since 1995, bringing its own particular breed of bath-spa culture to its devoted clientele.

    98: Tragic Gorbo

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2019 59:15


    We watched Werner Herzog's latest documentary, Meeting Gorbachev. Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev wast the last general secretary and only president of the Soviet Union. He's known for supporting nuclear disarmament, causing mass chaos and having a birthmark on his balding head.

    97: Severe Russophobia

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2019 43:44


    FALSE CLAIM: SIR is run by Putin trolls FACT: SIR is run by two brilliant lady humans who are here to dispel myths about Russia Russian Embassy's report The Russiagate Hysteria: a Case of Severe Russophobia: https://washington.mid.ru/en/press-centre/news/russian_embassy_special_report/

    96: Pink Beets ft. Olia Hercules

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2019 57:45


    We talked to Ukrainian-born, London-based chef and cookbook author Olia Hercules about some of her delicious family recipes, summer kitchens, Georgian food you only get in Georgia and dishes from her childhood in Cyprus. Check out Olia's cookbooks: https://oliahercules.com/books/ Follow Olia: https://www.instagram.com/oliahercules/?hl=en Episode photo from Olia's cookbook Mamushka, taken by Kris Kirkham

    95: Viking Voyage ft. Polya Shubina

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2019 64:55


    Special guest and dear friend Polya once sailed across the North Atlantic ocean on a viking-style ship. Now's she's written a book about it based on her notes and drawings from the onboard. We talk about the voyage, how the crew slept, ate, socialized and went to the bathroom on an open wooden ship at sea. Plus a bit about sex ed and drug prevention in Russian schools. *11 days left* to pre-order Polya's book by contributing: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/how-i-sailed-a-viking-ship-across-the-ocean#/

    94: How Now Maddow

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2019 63:01


    Dissecting Rachel Maddow's screen vom and crimes against journalism. Related episodes: Troll Factory indictment https://soundcloud.com/shes-in-russia/37-indict-me Annexation of Crimea https://soundcloud.com/shes-in-russia/episode-11-crimea-it-existed-before-2014 2018 elections https://soundcloud.com/shes-in-russia/39-maybe-putin-wont-be-president-anymore * Support SIR: https://www.patreon.com/shesinrussia Shop for new Russian fashion: https://www.depop.com/fortochka/

    93: Vyborg Express

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2019 34:31


    Lily went to the great medieval city of Vyborg and gawked at abandoned buildings and Finnish tourists. * Support SIR: https://www.patreon.com/shesinrussia Shop for new Russian fashion: https://www.depop.com/fortochka/

    92: Elite Terror

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2019 75:23


    Why the right loves Solzhenitsyn and his Gulag writings. Anna Akhmatova's everyday life of squalor, drama and paranoia during the Terror. * Support SIR: https://www.patreon.com/shesinrussia Shop for new Russian fashion: https://www.depop.com/fortochka/ Watch ContraPoints: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNvsIonJdJ5E4EXMa65VYpA

    91: Ladies' Decameron

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2019 48:56


    Yulia Voznesenskaia was part of the Leningrad dissident women's movement that formed in the 1970s. Later, as an emigre in Germany, she wrote the Women's Decameron — the story of ten women quarantined in a Soviet maternity ward for ten days, telling each other tales. * Support SIR: https://www.patreon.com/shesinrussia Shop new Russian fashion: https://www.depop.com/fortochka/

    90: Death Bliny

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2019 56:39


    What happened to all the death-commemorating and erotic traditions of everyone's favorite bliny-consuming, effigy-burning holiday, Maslenitsa? Here's the history of the week-long, slavic-pagan-christian, pre-Lenten celebration, plus several bliny recipes from a real Russian.

    89: Surkov Circus

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2019 62:52


    Popularly referred to as the puppet master and the shadowy man, Vladislav Surkov is back on the public stage with a manifesto on what he happily refers to as Putin's Russia. We break down the ideas he introduces in his latest article and trace how the man himself, specifically in the West, came to be known as the mastermind behind modern Russian politics.

    88: Sidewalk Talk

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2019 30:23


    Icicles falling from buildings kill people in Russia every year, but this winter, walking outside in St. Petersburg is even scarier than usual. buy russian fashion: https://www.depop.com/fortochka/

    87: Soviet Multiki

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2019 65:14


    SIR is joined by Crocodile Gena, Cheburashka, Vinni Pukh and Hedgehog in the Fog to discuss myths, techniques, legendary figures and beloved classics of Soviet animation. Watch all the cartoons we reference (plus ones we don't reference): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLFDtUKjvwX2P50tlMeyrtyx7KHPevbFW

    86: Borsch Phantom ft. Alissa Timoshkina

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2019 46:23


    Founder of London supper club KinoVino Alissa Timoshkina talks about why Russian-Soviet cuisine is so hard to define, plus shares memories of her childhood kitchen in Siberia and beautiful, mouth-watering descriptions of some favorite foods. Pre-order Alissa's cookbook Salt and Time — Recipes from a Russian kitchen: https://amzn.to/2DBnR34 Alissa is on Instagram @borsch_and_no_tears

    85: Domestic Violence ft. Yulia Gorbunova

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2019 54:39


    We talk with Yulia Gorbunova, a researcher in the Europe and Central Asia division of Human Rights Watch, and author of a recently published report on domestic violence in Russia and the state's response to it. report in english: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/russia1018_web3.pdf report in russian: https://www.hrw.org/ru/report/2018/10/25/323648 resources for survivors of domestic violence in Russia: http://anna-center.ru/index.php/ru/ https://nasiliu.net/ https://www.facebook.com/anokitez/ Episode art by Rebecca Hendin for HRW

    84: Stolovaya

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2019 50:18


    The history of collective dining and the soviet cafeteria — utopias of factory kitchens and kitchen-less apartments, the science of soviet food consumption and where the design of the stolovaya as we know it actually came from. If you missed Fortochka, our Russian fashion pop-up at the beginning of December, you are in luck. We are selling off the remaining inventory, follow our ig: https://www.instagram.com/fortochka_/.

    83: Quality Russians

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2019 35:53


    Why BuzzFeed news and Rachel Maddow suck and a little update on Russian president Putin and Belarusian president Lukashenko's holiday meetups.

    82: Donbass, the movie

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2019 53:34


    Maybe the only critical analysis of the new movie Donbass (Dir. Sergei Loznitsa) that you're gonna get, folks (in English, at least). This non-documentary, allegedly based on real events and YouTube videos, is set in the eastern regions of Ukraine (collectively referred to as Donbass) — which are currently fighting a war with the western regions of Ukraine (collectively referred to as Ukraine). This movie was in part funded by the Ukrainian government. Separately, here's a short, independently made doc about every day life in Donbass (by Irina Lashkevich and Dan Levi) (Engl. subtitles): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA242BxEArE

    81: Boys Town

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2019 36:10


    The failings of Michael McFaul, Boys Town scandals, and why Lily is probably not a spy. Help us out and email this guy at Buzzfeed about how much you love our little podcast: https://www.buzzfeed.com/scottybryan/podcast-suggestions-2019

    80: Tsvetaeva New Year

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2019 51:52


    This fine New Year we read and discuss texts by and about 19th c. Russian/Soviet/queer/polyglot poet Marina Tsvetaeva. Read Tsvetaeva's poem New Year, translated by Caroline Lemak Brickman: http://hypocritereader.com/26/new-year

    79: Ored Recordings ft. Bulat Khalilov

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2018 57:20


    The co-creator of the ethnographic recording label Ored Recordings (@ored-recordings-1), Bulat Khalilov, talks to Smith about traditional music from various ethnic groups from the Caucasus. The ep includes lots of music, so best to listen with headphones. Listen to and support Ored Recordings: https://oredrecordings.bandcamp.com/ Episode image taken from this article about Ored Recordings: http://inrussia.com/understanding-circassian-folklore

    78: Merch Perch ft. Sergei Pakhotin

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2018 46:59


    The creator of streetwear merch producers Sputnik1985, Sergei Pakhotin, talks to Lily about why he's not a designer, the importance of subtle irony in political commentary, DIY punks in Belarus and what makes Gosha Rubchinsky an artist. Website: https://sputnik1985.com/ Episode image taken from Sputnik1985 ig

    77: Comic Sans ft. Andrei Konyaev

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2018 52:50


    The history of standup comedy, reality TV, and what makes media in Russia independent. Our very special guest is Andrei Konyaev, founder and editor in chief of N+1, co-host of Kuji Podcast, math professor and humor expert. N+1: https://nplus1.ru/ N+1 FB page (in English): https://www.facebook.com/einsteinsmama/ Kuji: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK8xpGAv8Oz7iMPgMw9j0LA

    76: How Propaganda Works ft. Tamara Eidelman

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2018 45:08


    Historian, teacher, and author Tamara Eidelman talks to us about her recently-published book Как Работает Пропаганда (How Propaganda Works), published by Individuum. Russian-speaking SIR listeners! You can read Tamara's book for free here: https://bookmate.app.link/tamara All, you can also use the promo code TAMARA to subscribe to the Bookmate app for a free *month* of reading any book they have (some are in English!). Just don't forget to unsubscribe at the end of 30 days if you don't want to actually be subscribed for money: https://bookmate.com/code?promo=TAMARA The book is also available in print in Russia, check your local book store.

    75: Et Tu, Russia?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2018 43:48


    We are doing a popup of new Russian fashion designers on Dec 8th & 9th at 332 E 4th St, New York, NY. Follow things: https://www.instagram.com/fortochka_, http://fortochka.site/. This week: Gossip, slander, facts about the sexual harassment case that led to Meduza's Editor in Chief Ivan Kolpakov resigning last week. Episode image lifted from lenta.ru

    74: Gop-stop

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2018 65:49


    We are doing a non-digital project, wherein we sell clothes made by Russian designers for two days in December in New York City: fortochka.site Why do slavs squat? The eternal question. The history of the gopnik phenomenon. Plus we trace the emergence of the gopnik image/meme from Runet—>Slavic internet—> Western internet—> global fashion trend. this episode was written up in MEL: https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/slav-squat-meme-history-russia-gopnik (idk who made the episode image, i got it from the internet, good image tho!)

    73: The Babushka Society

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2018 25:23


    Two friends meet Baba Yaga and her army of babushkas in modern day St. Petersburg. A radio drama made in collaboration with Benita Klavis (Benjamin Davis and Nikita Klimov). Written by Ben, produced by SIR. Featuring the voice talents of: Elliot Davis, Ben, Nikita, Smith, and Lily Episode art by Nikita. Ben (author) and Nikita (illustrator) have also just published a book, the King of Fu, a surreal, dark humor-filled poetic memoir. You can get it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D2YYL6S Or directly from the publisher: https://www.nadablank.com/copy-of-epress You can also read/see more by Ben and Nikita in their Telegram channel https://t.me/benitaklavis or on their website https://flash-365.com/

    72: Bryansky Les ft. Laura Williams

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2018 59:25


    Last month we trekked to a small village deep in the woods near the Ukrainian border to visit a certain legendary American and her horses. This episode is dedicated to the life, work, and loved ones of Laura Williams. Episode photo is a young Laura, taken by her husband Igor Shpilenok (presumably). If you would like to read Laura's book: https://www.amazon.com/Storks-Nest-Life-Russian-Countryside/dp/1555916295"

    71: American Made ft. Grace

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2018 51:41


    School shootings, how their symbolism and aesthetics continue to echo Columbine, and whether or not they're preventable. This week's ep is unfortunately apropos of the mass murder at the Kerch Polytechnic College on Oct. 17. If you'd like to send money to help fund the treatment of those injured in the attack, you can do that here (sorry, it's in Russian): https://www.sberbank.ru/ru/about/kerch

    70: Attention Dvor

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2018 63:01


    The mystical St. Petersburg courtyard, the rural homestead, the royal court. This week we talk about the architectural and emotional history of the Russian dvor. patreon.com/shesinrussia Music: (theme music) Shit Happens by Tierra Whack, Русский Ковчег by Монеточка, Шоколадное кафе by Тупые

    69: Kadyrov, Don't Call Me ft. Zukhra

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2018 45:43


    Joined by our amazing special guest, Caucasus and MMA expert, Zukhra, we talk about how people from the North Caucasus relate to larger Russia, Khabib vs. Connor, why you shouldn't insult Caucasian people (the real ones), and everyday racism in Russian housing.

    68: Tweedle D' Skripal

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2018 48:02


    Super recognizers come one come all! The plot thickens in the case of the helpless Russian tourists visiting the lovely town of Salisbury. https://www.patreon.com/shesinrussia

    67: Dacha San

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2018 58:51


    The Russian dacha wasn’t always а one-family weekend house symbolizing a return to the land and folksy country virtues. Lily tells Smith the more complicated story. Main knowledge source for this ep: Summerfolk: A History of the Dacha, 1710–2000 by Stephen Lovell

    66: Streets of St. Beetlesbug ft. Pasha

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2018 43:23


    Smith came to St. Petersburg and we went around recording our trials and tribulations.

    65: Yanka

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2018 84:15


    (Best to listen with headphones, as this episode is in stereo) We tell the story (and listen to the music) of musician and poet Yanka Dyagileva and the late 1980s-early 1990s Siberian punk-rock scene she was at the center of. Listen to all the music from this episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLFDtUKjvwX0tq-FOBtZHbsDvNqw6nkXl Support us plz: patreon.com/shesinrussia

    64: Kitchen Table ft. Nastya Pankina

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2018 78:45


    A discussion in Lily's kitchen about race paradigms, Gosha Rubchinskiy, censorship in Thaw-era film, and why Russia is the greatest country on earth.

    russia thaw kitchen table nastya gosha rubchinskiy
    63: Terrible

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2018 65:14


    We give our very in depth and diverging two cents on Keith Gessen's new novel A Terrible Country. There are spoilers, be warned. SPOILERS: 50:16 - 55:01 and 56:49 - 58:47 Support us plz: patreon.com/shesinrussia

    62: Expat Scumbags

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2018 55:04


    An informal conversation where we talk about (among other things) a particular type of male expat in Russia, their relationship to women and sex, and the time Lily revealed herself to be nothing better than a capitalist parasite.

    61: Whipping Boy, Telegram pt. 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2018 73:34


    Part two of a two part series on the saga of Telegram in Russia. This week we give you a news update on the case, explain encryption, discuss one of the heroes of this story, Pavel Durov, and raise the question (and the various theories) of why, really, Telegram is being blocked For this series we spoke to a multitude of people more important and knowledgeable than us. A huge thank you to Mikhail Klimarev, Tanya Lokot, Damir Gainutdinov, Matthew Green, Philip Kulin, Anna Fomina, and Max Olenichev. Also thank you to Andrei for his voiceover work, and to Yulia Drobova for yet another incredible custom cover art. Support SIR: https://www.patreon.com/shesinrussia Links: - Internet Protection Society (Mikhail): https://ozi-ru.org/ - Agora (Damir): http://en.agora.legal/ - Usher2 (Phil): https://usher2.club/en/ - Team29 (Anna and Max): https://team29.org/ - Yulia (illustrator): https://www.drobova.uz/

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