Alexander Pravdin is 73 years old. He lives in a small village near St. Petersburg. He used to work as a doctor in a psychiatric hospital, then he became an entrepreneur and settled in the village. He began to speak out against the arbitrariness of the Russian authorities and draw posters about it. Of course, the authorities did not like it and they took away Alexander's business. But he does not give up. We asked Alexander why he believes that Russia has stolen the future from the whole...

Ekaterina Schulmann is a political scientist and publicist. She has been explaining the inevitable political processes, laws, and underlying logic that guides the Russian government for years. She has a big fan base In Russia and some people see her as the next president of the country. But now it’s even theoretically impossible since Ekaterina got listed as a foreign agent, as were many others who spoke their thoughts about Russian politics. Ekaterina, as probably every rational person, was...

As a policeman, this man tried to do everything in his power to ease the lives of political activists who came across his way. As a history teacher, he told children the truth about the war. In this episode we tell the story of Andrei Shestakov, an ex-police officer and a former school teacher from the small town in Yakutia. He got a job at the school and refused to teach the false history of Russia and opposed the war. As a result, he was monitored by the FSB. What changed his beliefs? And...

It may sound surprising, but the Russians, Germans and even Ukrainians are on the same side. Our goal is to confront the corrupt financial and political elites across Europe. Why and how did it happen? Russian sociologist Grigory Yudin answers this question. We discussed why the country for which the victory over fascism was so important, arranges flash mobs in support of a new war; why Russians perceive politics as a clownery and what we need to do to stop Putin’s actions. If you enjoy...

Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist protest art group. They became famous in 2012 after the performance in Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior named "Punk Prayer: Mother of God Drive Putin Away". The band members were detained several times, and two of them were sentenced to two years in prison for a punk-style prayer. Pussy Riot stands up for women's rights, criticizes the dictatorship and promotes freedom of thought. Of course, they did not stand aside in 2022, when the war between Russia...

Two days after the war has started, Russian feminists created a horizontal organization that has been in the forefront of anti-war protest for over 4 months now. Thousands of activists in 112 cities across the country engage in underground forms of resistance, organize help for the refugees and save those who face political repressions. How women became the true face of the anti-war movement in Russia? We’ll try to figure it out with Daria Serenko, Russian feminist poet and activist. Are...

The band “Nogu Svelo” was created in the 1980s and quickly became known throughout the crumbling Soviet Union. Soviet censorship fell apart and the authorities stopped pressuring artists and musicians. That was the time of hope for a better future. 30 years later, the band’s concerts and music tours are getting canceled in Russia because the musicians don't support the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In this episode musician Maxim Pokrovskiy tells why his band wasn’t allowed to perform in...

Today, even the smallest protest in Russia might lead to years in prison. We’ve hardly seen such absurd verdicts since Stalin’s Great Terror in the 30s. This is the story of Sasha Skochilenko — St. Petersburg artist and musician. Sasha did a tiny anti-war performance in a local supermarket. But after it was reported, the police organized a whole operation to capture Skochilenko. Together with Sasha’s girlfriend Sonya we are telling her story. Are you enjoying this podcast? Your support helps...

«Why don’t Russians protest?» Well, we might not see millions in the streets, but the resistance is there. While the civil servants paint over hundreds of new anti-war graffiti, people in Russia are protesting and making their voices heard on social media despite risking their freedom. Together with activists, journalists, artists, and people who can’t keep silent we’ll discuss how we, Russians, lost our freedom, why keep fighting and why there’s still hope. This podcast is produced by...