How Ukraine Fights: Reflections from the Front Lines feat. Nate Vance

How Ukraine Fights: Reflections from the Front Lines feat. Nate Vance

Author: CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies August 14, 2026 Duration: 17:55
Maria Snegovaya sits down with Nate Vance — a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the 2022 invasion — to discuss Ukrainian and Russian military tactics, life as an infantryman on the front lines, and the impact of Soviet legacies on military culture.   Vance spent three years with the Da Vinci Wolves, seeing action from Bakhmut to Pokrovsk, before leaving in early 2025 when his first cousin JD Vance's rise to the vice presidency made him a potential Russian target.    Mentioned:  Russian Blood and Treasure: The Ballooning Costs of Putin’s War: CSIS Publication by Seth Jones and Riley McCabe      Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at erep@csis.org.  If you love Russian Roulette, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts.   Listen to our sister podcast, covering all things Europe through a Washington lens: CSIS Podcasts | The Eurofile   

Dive deep into the political landscape, historical currents, and rich social fabric of a vast and consequential region with Russian Roulette. This podcast from the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program is guided by hosts Max Bergmann and Dr. Maria Snegovaya, who bring their expertise to nuanced conversations that move beyond headlines. Each episode delves into the forces shaping Russia and the diverse nations of Eurasia, unpacking everything from foreign policy and internal power dynamics to cultural shifts and societal transformations. You'll hear insightful analysis and engaging discussions with a range of experts, offering listeners a clearer understanding of the complex challenges and opportunities within the post-Soviet space. Produced by Tina Dolbaia and Nick Fenton, the podcast consistently provides context and depth on a part of the world where history is always present. For anyone curious about the intricate politics, compelling stories, and human experiences that define this area, this series serves as an essential guide, making sense of a region that often seems enigmatic from the outside.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Russian Roulette
Podcast Episodes
Where Crises Converge: Russia's Role in the Middle East [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:34
Max Bergmann is joined by Hanna Notte and Natasha Hall to map the escalation risks, assess Russia's shifting military and diplomatic footprint in Syria under the new government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, and parse what a surpri…
Russia's Classrooms Face Putin’s Propaganda Machine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:41
NOTE: This interview was conducted in Russian. The English audio was created with AI dubbing software and reviewed by native speakers of both languages for accuracy. Maria Snegovaya sits down with Pavel Talankin –– a Rus…
Has the War Come Home to Russia? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:52
Max Bergmann sits down with Maria Snegovaya and Jade McGlynn, senior associate (non-resident) with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and senior research fellow / head of the Ukraine and Russia Program at King'…
The Ukrainian Defense Industry and Europe’s Untapped Arsenal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:35
Max and Maria welcome back Elina Ribakova to discuss her latest piece in Foreign Affairs, exploring the Ukrainian defense industry and its potential capacity to help Europe secure its own defense. More from Elina in Fore…