Podcast appearances and mentions of brian whitmore

2025-09-24 | Silicon Wafers 009 | DAILY UPDATES | Wafers daily is a round-up of news over the last 1-2 days, with a particular focus on the resurgence of authoritarian regimes in the 21st century, great power competition, democracy on the defensive, the Russian imperial project, and how Ukraine is leading the fightback for values and freedom. In this short video format, I hope to bring some light to dark times.Today: we're tracking Trump's dramatic change of tone, Russia's strategic gambits, Ukraine's defiant countermoves, China's balancing act, and the cracks forming in Russia's war economy. We examine how these moves fit longer arcs — authoritarian slide, the undoing of norms, imperial ambition, and great power competition.Trump Shifts Tone — Says Ukraine Can Win Back All Territory President Trump publicly stated that he now believes Ukraine can reclaim all territory lost to Russia, with NATO and EU support. (AP News) This marks a departure from prior suggestions of negotiated land compromises – the morally vacuous and strategically unworkable ‘land swap' proposal.----------Autumn Harvest: Silicon Curtain (Goal €22,000)This is super important. We'll be supporting troops in Pokrovsk, Kharkiv, and other regions where the trucks are needed the most. There are so many Battalions in Ukraine, fighting to defend our freedoms, but lack basics such as vehicles. These are destroyed on a regular basis, and lack of transport is costs lives, and Ukrainian territory. Once again Silicon Curtain has teamed up with Car4Ukraine and a group of wonderful creators to provide much-needed assistance: https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/autumn-harvest-silicon-curtain----------SOURCES: Ukraine: The Latest by The Telegraph team ---https://open.spotify.com/show/6cnkk1J0I1UqtxTYVUL4Fe?si=fb9c151d2f21405a In Moscow's Shadows, hosted by Mark Galeotti ---https://open.spotify.com/show/1NKCazxYstY6o8vhpGQSjF?si=4215e2d786a44d64 Russian Roulette hosted by Max Bergmann and Dr. Maria Snegovaya ---https://podcasts.apple.com/tw/podcast/russian-roulette/id1112258664?l=en-GB Hosted by Michael Naki ---https://www.youtube.com/@MackNack Faygin Live channel ---https://www.youtube.com/@FeyginLive Hromadske channel ---https://www.youtube.com/@hromadske_ua Hosted by Vitaly Portnikov ---https://www.youtube.com/@portnikov Hosted by Vladimir Milov ---https://www.youtube.com/@Vladimir_Milov Sternenko channel ---https://www.youtube.com/@STERNENKO The Power Vertical with Brian Whitmore https://www.powervertical.org/ ----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Michael Carpenter, Senior Fellow for Transatlantic Affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and James Sherr, Honorary Fellow at the International Center for Defense and Security. They unpack Russia's latest drone incursions into NATO airspace, the EU's proposed “drone wall,” and Moscow's broader sabotage campaign across Europe. The discussion explores whether these escalations mark a new phase in Russia's hybrid war and what the West can do in response.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Joseph Webster, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center, about the contours and contradictions of the Sino-Russian “no limits” partnership. They explore how China has helped keep Russia's economy and war machine afloat by purchasing hydrocarbons, supplying dual-use technology, and providing economic lifelines—all in broad daylight. The discussion also examines the limits of this relationship, including its asymmetry, potential pitfalls in Central Asia, and the challenges it poses for Western strategy.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Max Bergmann of CSIS about Vladimir Putin's return to the global stage. From Beijing's military parade with Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un to a red-carpet summit in Alaska with Donald Trump, Putin is no longer isolated. We unpack what this means for the emerging authoritarian axis, the future of the West's unity, and the impact of U.S. security cuts to Europe.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Anton Shekhovtsov, director of the Centre for Democratic Integrity in Vienna and author of Towers of Europa, about Vladimir Putin's eliminationist war against Ukraine and his quest for “symbolic immortality.” They discuss how ideology, historical revisionism, and the dehumanization of Ukrainians shape the Kremlin's motivations, and why understanding Putin's drive for symbolic immortality is key to grasping the genocidal nature of the war. The conversation also explores evolving Russian political myths, the manipulation of culture and history, and what Europe must do to meet the security challenges of a rapidly changing world order.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with David Kramer, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, and Serhiy Kudelia, Associate Professor of Political Science at Baylor University, about the high-stakes Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. With the meeting unfolding as the episode was recorded, they analyze the possible scenarios—from capitulation to a Minsk 3-style ceasefire to the status quo—and explore how each could impact Ukraine, Europe, and U.S.-Russia relations. They also examine the broader strategic goals at play, the political signals from Washington, and what history might teach us about moments like this.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Michael Carpenter and James Sherr to unpack a chaotic week of U.S.-Russia diplomacy and shifting signals out of Washington. As Trump calls a surprise Moscow meeting “highly productive” and dangles the possibility of direct talks with Zelensky and Putin, the U.S. simultaneously threatens secondary sanctions and hikes tariffs on India. What's really going on? And could the West actually engineer a Ukrainian victory if it chose to? Tune in as our guests break down the mixed messages, strategic stakes, and what it all means for Ukraine, Russia, and the West.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with military analyst Michael Kofman about Russia's summer offensive, Ukraine's resilience on the battlefield, and what shifting front lines near Pokrovsk, Kostyantynivka, and Zaporizhiya mean for the next phase of the war. They also explore the growing role of drones, Russia's aerial strikes on Ukrainian cities, and how U.S. pressure and Ukraine's domestic politics are shaping the conflict.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Volodymyr Kulyk, Dylan Combellick, and Michael Carpenter about the growing protests in Ukraine following President Zelensky's controversial move to curb anti-corruption agencies. As demonstrations erupt across major cities, civil society pushes back against what many see as a breach of democratic norms in the middle of war. The conversation explores whether a red line has been crossed—and what that means for public trust, wartime governance, and Ukraine's democratic future. The guests unpack the origins of these key institutions, their role since the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, and how this moment echoes past political tensions. It's a deep dive into democracy under siege—and why Ukrainians are demanding its protection now more than ever.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Jonathan Katz and Corina Rebegea about the new Cold War unfolding within democracies. They explore how Russia, corruption, and disinformation are undermining institutions across the West. The discussion also takes a close look at the recent crisis in Romania's presidential election and what it reveals about defending liberal values today.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Jeff Mankoff about rising tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan following a brutal crackdown and arrests on both sides. They explore how Azerbaijan's assertiveness reflects shifting power dynamics in the former Soviet space and its growing confidence after victory in Karabakh. The conversation also covers Azerbaijan's energy clout, ties to Turkey, and Moscow's costs from escalating tensions. Later, they examine Russia's faltering effort to rally the Global South against the West, with BRICS losing momentum.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with James Sherr and Michael Carpenter about cracks in the Russia-Iran relationship following recent attacks on Tehran. They unpack what Iran's diminished ability to arm Moscow means for Putin's influence in the Middle East. The conversation also turns to the NATO summit in The Hague and its implications for Europe's security landscape.

In this episode of The Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Jeff Mankoff about the simmering espionage tensions between Russia and China that suggest cracks in their so-called "no limits" partnership. They explore leaked Russian intelligence reports accusing Beijing of spying and covert operations within Russian territory. Is the Sino-Russian alliance unraveling—or is something else at play?

Brian Whitmore joins ABC News Radio to discuss Ukraine's latest drone attack on Russia and the potential impact this may have on the upcoming peace talks.

In this episode of the Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with former Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk and security expert Alexander Khara about Ukraine's unprecedented drone strike deep inside Russian territory. The guests analyze how the 18-month-long operation—dubbed Operation Spiderweb—was executed with precision, stealth, and strategic impact. They explore what this reveals about Ukraine's intelligence, logistics, and innovation in asymmetrical warfare. The conversation also looks ahead at how Ukraine is redefining modern conflict with drones, AI, and creative military tactics.

Nguyên thủ Mỹ những ngày cuối tháng 5/2025 đã có những tuyên bố gay gắt đối với tổng thống Nga Vladimir Putin, rằng ông « hoàn toàn điên rồ », « đang đùa với lửa »…Những lời chỉ trích này phải chăng đánh dấu một bước ngoặt trong chính sách của ông Trump về Nga? Phải chăng Donald Trump đang thoát khỏi sự kìm kẹp ảnh hưởng từ đồng nhiệm Nga ? Trên đây là những thắc mắc từ nhiều nhà quan sát. Tổng thống Mỹ Donald Trump có những phát biểu như trên sau những đợt oanh kích quy mô lớn chưa từng có tính từ đầu cuộc xung đột Nga – Ukraina, phối hợp tên lửa và drone nhắm vào nhiều vùng trên lãnh thổ Ukraina.Thiếu kiên nhẫn chiến thuậtPhải chăng tổng thống Nga đã đánh mất sự hậu thuẫn của Donald Trump ? Cựu đại sứ Pháp tại Nga giai đoạn 2020-2024, Pierre Lévy, trên làn sóng RFI Pháp ngữ ngày 27/05/2025, tỏ ra cẩn trọng khi cho rằng đối với Donald Trump, « cần phải chờ xem » những tuyên bố sắp tới.Nhưng theo ông, điều này thể hiện rõ một phương pháp tồi từ phía Washington, « không phải là cách để đối phó với Nga », với một dân tộc mà trong tâm trí luôn quan niệm rằng « nhà lãnh đạo thống trị và tự ngự trị mình. Do vậy, vị lãnh đạo đó không có tâm trạng và ông ta không nên thể hiện cảm xúc quá mức. Đó là dấu hiệu của sự yếu đuối ».Cũng theo cựu đại sứ Pháp Pierre Lévy, cách tiếp cận này của Nga là rất rõ ràng, được thể hiện rõ qua lời đáp trả của phát ngôn viên điện Kremlin Dmitri Peskov khi đánh giá những phát biểu của Donald Trump là « trả lời theo cảm xúc trước các sự kiện ».Nhà ngoại giao Pháp giải thích tiếp : « Vì vậy, tôi thấy rằng về cơ bản đây là một cách tiếp cận khá khinh thường. Vụ việc thể hiện sự tương phản giữa một bên là sự thiếu kiên nhẫn về chiến thuật của Donald Trump và bên kia là sự kiên nhẫn chiến lược của Nga với một quyết tâm lạnh lùng. Và do vậy, không chút tâm trạng. »Vladimir Putin : Ukraina chỉ là « Tiểu Nga »Sự thiếu kiên nhẫn đó có lẽ phần nào phản ảnh tâm trạng hụt hẫng của Donald Trump khi nhận ra rằng ông không dễ chấm dứt chiến tranh « trong vòng 24 giờ » như tuyên bố khi vận động tranh cử. Ngày 04/06/2025, sau cuộc điện đàm với đồng nhiệm Nga Vladimir Putin, tổng thống Trump thừa nhận sẽ không có « hòa bình tức thì » giữa Kiev và Matxcơva.Một sự thật hiển nhiên và chẳng có gì đáng ngạc nhiên. Ông Brian Whitmore, nhà nghiên cứu, giáo sư trường đại học Texas – Arlington, trên trang Atlantic Council ngày 29/05/2025, từng viết là sẽ « không có một thỏa thuận nào với Nga về Ukraina. Điều đó chưa bao giờ có và sẽ chẳng bao giờ có ».Đơn giản là vì, theo ông, không có một công thức kỳ diệu nào, không một nhượng bộ hay một sự mặc cả lớn nào có thể thỏa mãn những mục tiêu tối đa và mang tính tiêu diệt của điện Kremlin : Chấm dứt chủ quyền, quốc gia và nhà nước Ukraina. Trong khi Ukraina muốn tiếp tục tồn tại như một quốc gia có chủ quyền độc lập. Do vậy, không có một sự thỏa hiệp nào là khả thi.Trong một cuộc trao đổi với đồng nhiệm Mỹ, tổng thống Putin đã tuyên bố mọi giải pháp cho cuộc xung đột phải xử lý điều mà ông gọi là « nguồn cội sâu xa của xung đột ». Nói một cách cụ thể, đó là sự tồn tại của Ukraina như là một quốc gia có chủ quyền, điều mà từ lâu ông Putin coi là đáng nguyền rủa.Tại thượng đỉnh NATO ở Bucarest, Bulgari năm 2008, trước sự hiện diện của đồng nhiệm Mỹ lúc bấy giờ là George W. Bush, tổng thống Nga đã nói rằng « Ukraina thậm chí không phải là một quốc gia », mà chỉ là một « Tiểu Nga » như nhiều lần ông nói đến. Đây là một thuật ngữ được sử dụng dưới thời Sa hoàng để mô tả vùng lãnh thổ Ukraina. Vẫn theo ông Whitemore, « đối với ông Putin và giới tinh hoa điện Kremlin, sự thống trị thuộc địa Nga đối với Ukraina là một vấn đề tư tưởng không thể đàm phán ».Quyết tâm chinh phục Ukraina của Nga đã được một trong những nhà tư tưởng Nga thân cận với Putin, Vladimir Medinsky, thể hiện rõ qua tuyên bố « Nga sẵn sàng chiến đấu mãi mãi » và không quên nhắc lại cuộc chiến tranh phương Bắc 1700 – 1721 chống Thụy Điển trong vòng 21 năm. Trong cuộc đàm phán tại Istanbul gần đây, ông thách thức phái đoàn Ukraina : « Các người có thể sẵn sàng chiến đấu trong bao lâu ? ».Kinh tế : Mắc xích yếu của Nga, mồi nhử Donald TrumpTuy nhiên, Nga cũng ý thức được rằng chiến tranh kéo dài, họ cũng trả giá đắt. Theo ước tính của Viện Nghiên cứu Chiến tranh Mỹ, trong vòng bốn tháng đầu năm 2025, cứ mỗi một cây số vuông đất Ukraina chiếm được, Nga mất gần như 100 quân.Với nhịp độ này, Nga sẽ phải mất đến gần 4 năm để chiếm hết phần còn lại của bốn vùng Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporijia và Kherson mà Matxcơva đòi sáp nhập vào Nga, và có lẽ phải mất gần một thế kỷ để chiếm toàn bộ Ukraina, ngoại trừ các khu vực biên giới phía Tây nước này, với cái giá phải trả là 50 triệu thương vong, tương đương với khoảng 1/3 dân số Nga hiện nay.Nền kinh tế Nga hiện tại gặp khó khăn nhưng vẫn chống chọi được với các biện pháp trừng phạt của phương Tây. Nhưng nếu kéo dài cuộc chiến, kinh tế của Nga chịu được sức ép trong bao lâu nếu phương Tây bền bỉ duy trì áp lực với Matxcơva ?Trong điều kiện này, mục tiêu của điện Kremlin đối với Hoa Kỳ là tìm cách tách rời cuộc chiến với mối quan hệ Nga – Mỹ, bình thường hóa quan hệ song phương Matxcơva – Washington, và được nới lỏng trừng phạt. Tổng thống Nga Putin đưa « củ cà rốt », mời mọc Mỹ hợp tác khai thác đất hiếm. Ông tuyên bố mối quan hệ hợp tác kinh tế mới giữa Mỹ và Nga sẽ có lợi hơn cho đôi bên, nhất là trong lĩnh vực năng lượng nếu như « lệnh trừng phạt được dỡ bỏ »…Những ý tưởng mà ông Trump có vẻ như không muốn bỏ lỡ. Nguyên thủ Mỹ bày tỏ ý muốn thiết lập quan hệ kinh tế bình thường với Matxcơva. Đây có lẽ sẽ là một sai lầm, bởi vì điều đó sẽ giúp mang lại cho ông Putin chút dưỡng khí để tiếp tục cuộc chiến tại Ukraina. Thực tế trên chiến trường cũng đã cho thấy rõ : Bất chấp các cuộc đàm phán, Nga gia tăng oanh kích bắn phá các thành phố của Ukraina.Theo phân tích từ cựu đại sứ Pháp Pierre Lévy, trên đài RFI, « tổng thống Nga vẫn chưa đi chệch mục tiêu ban đầu của mình, đó là phá vỡ chủ quyền của Ukraina và đi đến cùng các mục tiêu của mình. Nói một cách đơn giản, trong phương trình này, ông phải cẩn trọng để cho ông Trump không hoàn toàn phải xa lánh. Ông ấy có thể điều khiển ông Trump, sao cho người đồng cấp vẫn hiện diện ở đó. Và đến một lúc nào đó thì ông Putin sẽ chuyển qua bước tiếp theo … »Ukraina : Chống trả hay đầu hàng, chọn lựa sinh tửĐây cũng là điều khiến nhà sử học, giáo sư Laurence Saint-Gilles, trường đại học Sorbonne, Pháp lo lắng. Trái với Ronald Reagan, vị tổng thống thứ 40 của Hoa Kỳ giai đoạn 1981 – 1989, chỉ bắt đầu đàm phán với Matxcơva sau khi đã tái lập đươc thế ưu việt chiến lược của Mỹ, tổng thống Trump đã vội vàng đồng ý ngay lập tức hầu hết các yêu cầu của đồng nhiệm Nga trước khi bắt đầu đàm phán, biến câu nói « hòa bình thông qua sức mạnh » thành « hòa bình thông qua đầu hàng ».Về phía Ukraina, bất chấp màn hạ nhục trước ống kính quốc tế tại Phòng Bầu Dục và những dọa dẫm cắt viện trợ quân sự, tổng thống Trump không nhận được sự nhượng bộ nào từ Kiev để có thể nhanh chóng đi đến một lệnh ngừng bắn, mở đường cho đàm phán hòa bình.Nhà nghiên cứu Brian Whitemore dẫn nhận định từ nhà chính trị học Ukraina Anton Shekhovtsov đưa ra hồi trung tuần tháng 5/2025, nêu lên một thực tế cay đắng : « Ukraina phải chọn giữa chống trả và nguy cơ bị giết, hay đầu hàng và bị giết. Bằng cách chống trả, Ukraina có một cơ hội, nhưng nếu đầu hàng, họ sẽ không có cơ hội nào và do vậy, việc đầu hàng không phải là một giải pháp khả thi. »Trong hoàn cảnh này, các nước Pháp, Anh, Đức và khối Liên Hiệp Châu Âu nỗ lực gia tăng viện trợ cho Ukraina và ban hành một loạt trừng phạt mới nhắm vào Nga. Thủ tướng Đức Friedrich Merz gần đây dỡ bỏ giới hạn tầm bắn đối với vũ khí Đức cung cấp cho Ukraina, buộc Matx cơva phải lên tiếng cảnh báo đó là « một quyết định nguy hiểm ».Dù vậy, ông Brian Whitemore cảnh báo một trong những thách thức lớn nhất trong tương lai là châu Âu có sẽ vượt qua được những chia rẽ trong nội bộ, nhất là từ các nước Hungary và Slovakia, và có thể cung cấp được vũ khí cho Ukraina hay không.Donald Trump có thoát được bóng Putin ?  Về phía Washington, các nước đồng minh châu Âu của Ukraina và giới quan sát đều có một câu hỏi : Liệu Donald Trump có thoát được chiếc bẫy Nga để ban hành loạt trừng phạt mới hay không, với hy vọng có thể chặn đứng được tham vọng bành trướng của Matxcơva và đi đến đàm phán hòa bình ?Nhà sử học Laurence Saint-Gilles trên La Croix lưu ý thêm rằng, nếu như những quyết định của Nhà Trắng cho đến lúc này làm hài lòng một bộ phận cử tri thân Nga, chống viện trợ cho Ukraina, thì Donald Trump khó thể phớt lờ một bộ phận lớn người dân Mỹ ủng hộ Ukraina và xem Nga như là một kẻ thù.Đây không phải lần đầu tiên Donald Trump bày tỏ bất bình công khai với đồng cấp Nga Vladimir Putin, nhưng không ai có thể đoán đâu là phạm vi hành động của ông. Theo quan điểm Laurence Saint-Gilles, tổng thống Trump rất có thể « núp bóng » sau một cuộc bỏ phiếu tại Thượng viện, vốn dĩ đã báo hiệu ý định áp đặt các lệnh trừng phạt mới đối với Nga và áp đặt mức thuế quan nặng đối với các quốc gia mua dầu, khí đốt và uranium của Nga.Kết quả của cuộc bỏ phiếu này sẽ cho thấy những phản ứng gay gắt gần đây của Donald Trump chỉ là phản ứng cảm xúc, hay là khởi đầu của một cuộc giải thoát khỏi sự quyến rũ mà tổng thống Nga đang tác động lên ông!

In this episode of the Power Vertical Podcast, Justin Sherman joins host Brian Whitmore to unpack the complex ecosystem behind Russia's offensive cyber operations. From government agencies like the GRU and SVR to loosely affiliated cybercriminals and patriotic hackers, Sherman explores how these entities operate—often independently, yet in alignment with state interests.

In this episode of the Power Vertical Podcast, Jen Stout joins host Brian Whitmore to discuss her experiences as a journalist in Ukraine. #podcast #russia #russian #ukraine

Show Notes Episode Summary Linnea and Yewleea bring you up to speed on the War in Ukraine in about 20 minutes or less. In today's Ukraine War Brief, Rob comes from Kyiv with a Special Episode about how russia's invasions of Georgia led it to believe it could conquer Ukraine (again). Have you listened to our sister podcast, FAQ-U: Ukraine Explained? Hosted by our own Yewleea and produced for Svidomi Media, FAQ-U explores popular misconceptions about Ukraine. Help Our Podcast: Rate, Review, and Give Feedback. This podcast is brand new, and every review helps others find it. If you enjoy the podcast, we'd (obviously) love a 5-star review! If we haven't quite earned your 5-star review, reach out and let us know at social@borlingon.media so we can continue to grow and improve! Thank you! Support Our Work and Receive Benefits. For just $10/month, paid subscribers on Substack receive an ad-free podcast, along with the Written Brief. Founding Members get to go behind the scenes and see how we produce the podcast. Subscribe here: substack.com/@borlingonmedia. Learn More Listen to our sister podcast we co-produce with Ukrainian media company, Svidomi Media, called FAQ-U: Ukraine Explained on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Visit the Soviet Past Research Laboratory website at SovLab.ge. Listen to the Power Vertical podcast with Brian Whitmore. Follow Drs. Rory Finnin, Timothy Snyder, Maria Snegovaya, Ghia Nodia, Professor Brian Whitmore, and the Hons. Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Giorgi Kandelaki on the app formerly known as Twitter. Read Dr. Snegovaya's July 2023 piece in the Journal of Democracy titled Why [r]ussia's Democracy Never Began.  Follow Linnea, Yewleea and Rob Gaudette on social media.   Copyright 2023, Borlingon Media Group, LLC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fascinating Russia soap opera involving Wagner Chief Prigozhin and Vladimir Putin continued yesterday. News broke that Prigozhin had died in a plane crash inside Russia. Was this an accident? Or an execution? And what are the implications for Russia and its war in Ukraine? Brian Whitmore from the Atlantic Council joins the show to talk about what just happened in Russia and what comes next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday, we learned that Wagner chief Prigozhin may be back in Russia. He had been exiled to Belarus after leading an armed mutiny in Moscow. Then a pro Kremlin newspaper leaked images of a raid on Prigozhin's mansion where they found wigs, passports, and gold. Brian Whitmore from the Atlantic Council and Power Vertical Podcast breaks down what's happening. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From torture to the summary executions of civilians to the widespread abduction and forced deportation of noncombatants, the anecdotal evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine has been mounting for months. Both the International Criminal Court and the Ukrainian authorities have launched formal investigations for crimes against humanity and potentially genocide. But as was the case with the downing of flight MH17 eight years ago, a lot of shoe-leather forensic work into these crimes is also being conducted by teams of investigative journalists. On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Peter Pomerantsev, a Senior Fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and author of the books Nothing is True and Everything is Possible and This Is Not Propaganda, who is part of a journalistic initiative called The Reckoning Project that is documenting Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Michael Sawikiw, Executive Vice President and Director of the Ukrainian National Information Service, Vice President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, and President of the US Holodomor Committee; and Marta Dyczok, an Associate Professor of History and Political Science at the University of Western Ontario and CERES Fellow at the University of Toronto.

NATO's most vulnerable members are also its most hawkish because they understand that should Russia succeed in subjugating Ukraine, then history suggests they could be next. On the Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with veteran journalist and Kremlin-watcher Michael Weiss about how the war in Ukraine looks from the alliance's front line. Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

When Russia invaded Georgia in 2008, it managed to convince much of the world that Georgia had started the war - an absurd proposition given that Georgian troops never left Georgian territory. When Russia annexed Crimea and invaded the Donbas in 2014, it persuaded much of the world to pretend that it was some sort of "civil war" among Ukrainians and that Moscow was not involved despite massive evidence to the contrary. But with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine this year, very few are believing Vladimir Putin's hype. Few believe the fairy tales of Ukrainian Nazis and chemical weapons. And most understand that this is nothing but an unprovoked war of choice on Putin's part. Russia's once-feared disinformation machine suddenly looks pathetic. So what happened? And why? On the Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with veteran journalist Michael Weiss, news director at the New Lines magazine, contributing editor at The Daily Beast, and director of special investigations at the Free Russia Foundation, about Russia's flailing propaganda effort and the latest developments on the ground.

If Vladimir Putin's goal in invading Ukraine was to push NATO and the EU out of Eastern Europe, he has failed miserably. Because suddenly, Finland and Sweden have applied to join NATO, a prospect highly unlikely just months ago. Suddenly, the prospect of Ukraine joining the EU, unthinkable just months ago, is now a very real possibility. And suddenly, we are entering into a whole new era of European security. What will it look like? On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with former US State Department official Max Bergmann, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies about European security in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

Listen to how Brian Whitmore and Jeff Mankoff argue that imperialism is tied to culture and that Russia may not see the changes you'd expect in a world after Putin.

On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore, speaks with former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who was in office at the time of the 2007 attacks, about how they unfolded and what they portended.

On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore unpacks the latest developments on the ground with retired U.S. Admiral James Foggo.

The debate continues about how to arm Ukraine with the weapons it needs to defend itself, most importantly fighter jets to prevent Russia from dominating the skies. On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with three Ukrainian experts about the war and the situation on the ground.

Vladimir Putin launches the largest land invasion in Europe since World War II and escalates the bombing of civilian targets. Led by its charismatic President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine mounts a David-and-Goliath-style resistance that inspires the world. A surprisingly unified West imposes the most devastating sanctions package in history, isolating Russia and effectively cutting it off from the global economy. And across the globe, many are asking: Has Putin become unhinged? And what does that mean going forward? On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Georgetown University Professor and former U.S. State Department official Angela Stent, author of the book Putin's World: Russia Against the West and with the Rest, about the latest developments.

On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Daniel Fata and Deutsche Welle columnist Konstantin Eggert about Putin's landmark Munich speech 15 years ago and what it means in retrospect.

On the Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with defense analyst Michael Kofman of the CNA Corporation about what a Russian re-invasion of Ukraine might look like and what happens next.

On the Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Merhat Sharipzhan, a Senior Correspondent at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the former director of RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, and veteran journalist and author Casey Michel about the civil unrest in Kazakhstan and the opportunities it presents to Russian expansion.

On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with former Estonian President Toomas Ilves and former Assistant Secretary of State David Kramer about how far Putin may go and what a divided and distracted West can do to stop him.

From money laundering to stealth investment through opaque shell companies, strategic corruption is one of the main vectors of Russian malign influence abroad. It erodes democratic institutions, weakens Western resolve and unity, and enhances Moscow's efforts to dominate its neighbors. It also enables and strengthens Vladimir Putin's autocratic regime at home. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has elevated combating corruption as a national security priority. Is it enough? And what more needs to be done? On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks to Paul Massaro, a policy advisor at the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Russian opposition figure Vladimir Milov.

With Russia massing tens of thousands of troops on the Ukrainian border, the threat of an invasion appears increasingly real. In a video call this week with Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated Washington's support for Ukraine, rebuffed Putin's demands that NATO membership be taken off the table, and threatened severe economic sanctions -- and possibly other measures -- if Russia invades. Ukraine has been living with a low-intensity war in the Donbas for eight years. But what may be coming is something qualitatively different. How does the crisis look from inside Ukraine? And how prepared are the Ukrainian armed forces to resist a full-scale Russian invasion? On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks to former Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodniuk, director of the Center for Defense Strategies, and Volodymyr Dubovyk, an associate professor in the Faculty of International Relations at Mechnikov National University in Odessa and director of its Center for International Studies. Enjoy…

As Russia continues to mount tens of thousands of troops on the Ukrainian border, Vladimir Putin says he is seeking a binding commitment from the United States that Ukraine will never become a NATO member. Sounds a lot like blackmail to be sure. And it is also a nonstarter. And if trouble on one front wasn't enough, Alyaksandr Lukashenka announced this week that Belarus would not stand aside in a conflict between Russia and Ukraine. And to drive the point home, the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced that it would be holding joint military exercises with Russia on its border with Ukraine. With U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinkin in Europe to meet with NATO and OSCE foreign ministers, Russia is escalating its brinkmanship in Ukraine. And Ukraine is now facing threats on two fronts. On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks to military analyst Michael Kofman of the CNA Corporation about what happens next.

It's all got a feeling of deja vu. Russia is again massing troops and moving ballistic missile systems near Ukraine's border and is accusing Kyiv of violating the terms of a ceasefire agreement in the Donbas region. In a bellicose speech last week, Vladimir Putin accused the United States and its NATO allies of "aggravating the situation by supplying Kyiv with modern lethal weapons," vowing that Moscow will "adequately" respond. And the Kremlin is claiming - without confirmation from Washington - that a second summit meeting between Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden is in the works. The summit would purportedly resolve a crisis entirely of Moscow's making. We went through all this before, when a menacing Russian troop buildup on Ukraine's border in April was followed by a Putin-Biden summit in June. So is Putin trying to repeat that trick? Or is something more menacing afoot? What is the goal of Putin's brinkmanship in Ukraine and how should the West respond? On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore discusses these issues with Konstantin Eggert, a columnist on Russian affairs with Deutsche Welle, and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Kramer. Also on the podcast, we discuss how Lithuania is preparing for the upcoming Summit of Democracies in Washington. Enjoy...

We now live in a world where a Belarusian dictator can hijack a European commercial aircraft, torture his political opponents, and orchestrate a migrant crisis on his neighbors' borders -- and suffer no meaningful consequences. We've long lived in a world where an autocratic Kremlin leader can get away with assassinating his opponents with nerve agents and radioactive isotopes in Europe, invading his neighbors, and annexing their territory. We're living in a world where cyberattacks are the norm - not the exception; where political assassinations are no longer shocking; and where it is a given that autocrats are going to meddle in democratic elections across the world. We now live in a world of impunity. We now live in a world where might makes right and the rules are increasingly optional. In many ways, we now live in Vladimir Putin's world. So how do we get out of it? On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Peter Pomerantsev - a Senior Fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and author of the books Nothing is True and Everything is Possible: Inside the Surreal Heart of the New Russia and This Is Not Propaganda - about the causes and consequences of this age of impunity.

It has been described as a “gas station masquerading as a country,” as a nation that has "nuclear weapons...oil wells and nothing else,” and as a mere “regional power.” Despite the fact that Vladimir Putin's regime has pulled off the first territorial annexation in Europe since World War II, successfully intervened in Syria to save the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, and is rapidly militarizing Belarus on NATO's Eastern flank, the stubborn perception of Russia as a paper tiger persists. And with the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden focused on China -- and hoping to park the Russia problem -- it is a perception that has serious policy implications. The thing about Russia is that it is never as strong as it appears -- and it is never as weak as it appears. So how strong is Russia really? And how much policy attention should it be receiving? On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Michael Kofman and Andrea Kendall-Taylor, co-authors of an important article in Foreign Affairs titled "The Myth of Russian Decline" to get some answers.

The long struggle over the Russian-led Nord Stream 2 pipeline appears to be entering its endgame. Is this controversial and highly politicized energy project a done deal? Or can the pipeline, which many fear will lead to corruption, cronyism, and deeper European dependence on Russian energy, still be stopped? And if it can't, what can be done in the long term to mitigate the damage? On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Dr. Benjamin L. Schmitt, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Harvard University and former European Energy Security Advisor at the U.S. State Department.

Vladimir Putin's Kremlin is militarizing Belarus and turning Alyaksandr Lukashenka's autocratic regime into a force multiplier in his ongoing war against the West. Russia's arms buildup in the Western exclave of Kaliningrad continues apace and -- together with the militarization of Belarus -- threatens the security of NATO allies in the Baltic states and Poland. But with the focus of the United States largely on a rising and increasingly bellicose China -- and with Russia being dismissed by many as a declining regional power -- fears are mounting that the European front is not getting the attention it demands. Can the West manage this new Cold War on two fronts? On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks to former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Kramer and Jonathan Katz, director of democracy initiatives at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, to get answers.

All is not quiet on the Ukrainian front. Vladimir Putin's regime has stepped up efforts to give Russian passports to Ukrainians living in separatist-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. Moscow is also reportedly planning to spend $12 billion in occupied separatist enclaves in Donetsk and Luhansk. And Russia's ally, Belarus, is moving military hardware to its border with Ukraine including possibly Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems. Ukraine, meanwhile, has taken steps to curb the political influence of its oligarchs - potentially closing off a key vector of Russian malign influence. It's been one month since Zelensky got his coveted White House meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden and secured additional defense assistance. But how do things really look on the ground in a country that has been at war for its very existence for more than seven years? On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks to Volodymyr Dubovyk, an associate professor in the Faculty of International Relations at Mechnikov National University in Odessa and director of its Center for International Studies.

A rigged vote secures a super-majority for the ruling United Russia party setting the stage for the next phase of the ongoing political drama in Moscow. Last week's so-called election to the State Duma was a dress rehearsal for Vladimir Putin's next political project - securing his continued rule until 2036. And this project is unfolding amid the backdrop of mounting discontent with the status quo in society and an escalating crackdown on dissent from the Kremlin. Putin has already ruled longer than any Russian or Soviet leader since Josef Stalin - and he doesn't appear to be going anywhere soon. But he's lost the youth, he's lost the cities, he's lost the urban professional class, and he's losing the working class. So what happens now? On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, host Brian Whitmore speaks with scholar, political analyst, and journalist Vasily Gatov, a visiting fellow, University of Southern California's Annenberg Center of Communication Leadership and Policy. Enjoy...

The atmosphere in the runup to Russia's so-called elections this weekend is so restrictive that for the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union, the OSCE has decided not to send observers. The main independent Russian election observer has been declared a foreign agent. Opposition candidates, many facing arrest and imprisonment, are fleeing the country. Websites are being blocked and Western tech companies like Google and Apple are being pressured to remove political content and apps the Kremlin doesn't like. When it comes to Russia's upcoming State Duma elections, there is no doubt that the fix is in - the Kremlin has the tools and the will to manufacture the result it wants. But Russian elections are less about the results, which are largely preordained, and more about the ritual and the theater. And what is not clear is whether Vladimir Putin's regime will be able to control the election's narrative. On the Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Konstantin Eggert about what to expect.

A coordinated and comprehensive attack targeting virtually all segments of Russia's civil society, including journalists, lawyers, activists and opposition politicians. An equally coordinated and comprehensive campaign to encourage prominent opposition figures to go into exile. A deeply unpopular ruling party with sinking poll numbers with elections just a week away. And an uprising in a neighboring country that has spooked the Kremlin elite. Vladimir Putin's autocratic regime is cracking down on dissent again. But this time, it feels a bit different - and a lot more sinister. On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks to Russian opposition figure Vladimir Milov and scholar Maria Snegovaya about how and why the repression is different this time.

They've been called a pretext for mischief against the Baltics and Poland and a means for Russia to increase its military footprint in Belarus. They've been called Kremlin saber-rattling, a message to the West, and a very expensive and noisy psyop. And they've been called routine military exercises that are nothing more than business as usual. But whatever you call them, the joint Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2021 military exercises that will begin next week seem to have everybody's attention. So what should we expect from Zapad-2021? On this week's Power Vertical Podcast host Brian Whitmore speaks with military analyst Michael Kofman, director of the Russian Studies Program at the CNA corporation to find out. Enjoy...

Three decades ago, a new European state representing an old European nation appeared on the scene. Thirty years ago in the rubble of the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian people finally achieved their dream of independence, sovereignty, and statehood. And a generation after achieving this goal, today Ukrainians are still fighting to maintain it. The modern Ukrainian state turned 30 this week. This week's Power Vertical Podcast looks back at its progress and ahead to its prospects as host Brian Whitmore speaks with Ambassador John Herbst, historian Marta Dyczok, and journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk.

A rigged election is followed by unprecedented street protests as a civil society comes of age. A brutal crackdown on dissent by an increasingly desperate dictator. A brazen act of air piracy and kidnapping. Allegations of death squads. And successive waves of Western sanctions. From August 2020 to August 2021 everything changed in Belarus as Alyaksandr Lukashenka faced the most serious crisis of his nearly three decades in power. And with Vladimir Putin's Russia waiting in the wings to exploit upheaval, it's a crisis with major geopolitical consequences. On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, we take a look back at Belarus' year of living dangerously -- and take a look ahead at what comes next. Joining host Brian Whitmore is former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Kramer and veteran Belarusian journalist Franak Viacorka, an advisor to opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya.