In Moscow's Shadows 247: Victory Day Without The Victory

In Moscow's Shadows 247: Victory Day Without The Victory

Author: Mark Galeotti May 10, 2026 Duration: 52:11
No tanks, great camera work. Victory Day is supposed to be Russia’s most unshakeable story, the moment when the state proves its strength, its allies, and its confidence on Red Square. Yet watching this year’s parade, I can’t escape the sense that the symbolism is working harder than the reality: fewer troops, no heavy hardware in Moscow, and security concerns hanging over the whole performance. In the rest of the podcast, I look at a leaked report on spinning peace and wonder if it par...

For those looking past the day's news to understand the deeper currents shaping Russia, In Moscow's Shadows offers a nuanced and authoritative perspective. Hosted by the acclaimed analyst Mark Galeotti, this podcast serves as an audio companion to his long-running blog, creating a space for detailed discussion on the nation's history and, more frequently, its complex contemporary politics. Rather than rehashing headlines, Galeotti delves into the underlying forces-the cultural shifts, power struggles, and historical echoes-that truly define events. Episodes might feature a deep dive into a new academic work, a solo analysis of a developing situation, or a conversation with fellow experts, all approached with Galeotti's characteristic blend of erudition and provocation. The result is a consistently engaging listen that feels like a private briefing from one of the field's most informed voices. By tuning into this podcast, you gain access to a clearer, more substantive understanding of Russia, exploring both its visible machinations and the influential dynamics that operate, as the title suggests, just out of sight. It’s essential listening for anyone who appreciates context and commentary that challenges conventional wisdom.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 100

In Moscow's Shadows
Podcast Episodes
In Moscow's Shadows 244: The War Word And The Clickbait Trap [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:50
The fastest way to lose your grip on Russia is to reach for the word “war” every time a scary headline lands. The incentives are everywhere: politicians who want public backing for big defence spending, media outlets tha…
In Moscow's Shadows 243: Who Controls The Story In Russia? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:01
Power doesn’t just seize territory. It seizes the story. I’m using a selection of 6 excellent new books to follow the narrative battlegrounds where modern Russia tries to control what people see as true, normal, and inev…
In Moscow's Shadows 241: When Attack Dogs Turn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:36
A handful of memes and an online storm can look like nothing, right up until they start steering the news cycle. Efforts to talk up a secessionist Russian-speaking Estonian “Narva People’s Republic” look like a Kremlin d…
In Moscow's Shadows 240: Frankenstein's Putinism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:47
Or, 'Team Russia and the Undead Ideology Project' Can you create an ideology that is custom-engineered, poll-driven, focus grouped, workshopped and marketed? The Presidential Administration's Alexander Kharichev is certa…
In Moscow's Shadows 239: Wars Foreign and Domestic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:48
How does the Iran war look to Russia, at once a potential morass for the USA (and Europe) and a case study, many in policy circles feel, on why not to trust Washington. It's also a laboratory for what one Russian militar…
In Moscow's Shadows 238: Bangers and Mish [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:18
First, as the USA, Israel and Iran trade drone and missile strikes, how the war may play out for Russia: my sense is that on balance it will give Moscow more opportunities than headaches. Then, from bangers to Mish: deco…
In Moscow's Shadows 237: How A 1552 Siege Explains A 2022 Invasion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:49
A frozen river swallows cannons in 1550; a traffic jam of armour stalls outside Kyiv in 2022. Different centuries, same lesson: wars are won by planning, logistics, and the courage to listen to people who know what they’…
In Moscow's Shadows 236: What Is Russia? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:41
In the first half, I look at the latest news about Navalny's death, what a change in the composition of the Russian negotiation team in Geneva may mean, and why looking for a dubious Russian connection in the Epstein cas…
In Moscow's Shadows Bonus Minipod: Rebel Russia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:42
A mini-episode that paying Patrons heard as part of their Twelve Days of Shadowy Christmas bonuses. Forget the cliché that Russians accept power without protest, I sit down with author and analyst Anna Arutunyan to unpac…