Russia Decoded
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December 28, 2025: The Kremlin’s Year in Review
December 28, 2025: The Kremlin’s Year in Review As 2025 draws to a close, Vesti Nedeli delivers a confident verdict on Vladimir Putin’s leadership: the Russian president remains unbowed by Western pressure. State media portrays Europeans as exhausted “piglets” dependent on U.S. sponsorship, while Putin himself is calm, patient and resilient in his phone call
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December 14, 2025: Beware What You Wish For
December 14, 2025: Beware What You Wish For Russian state television depicts a Europe unraveling under the weight of its own security fantasies, and the specter of escalation—dirty bombs included—is discussed. In this episode, Andy Kuchins and Chris Monday explore what this message reveals about Moscow’s confidence and its anxieties. Listen now on Apple, Spotify,
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December 7, 2025: Putin Visits India
December 7, 2025: Putin Visits India Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India last week to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warm embrace, and Russian state media seized the moment to showcase Moscow’s “indispensable” global partnerships. At the same time, Vesti Nedeli continues to push a darker narrative about its war against Kyiv, portraying Ukrainians as
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November 30, 2025: Putin Plays for Time on the Trump Peace Plan
November 30, 2025: Putin Plays for Time on the Trump Peace Plan Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to project total confidence, signaling that only he will decide the fate of the “Trump peace plan.” Meanwhile, Russian media remains intent on showcasing Ukraine’s corruption scandals, from Andriy Yermak’s downfall to Timur Mindich’s midnight escape to Israel.
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November 23, 2025: Russia Reacts to Trump’s Peace Plan
November 23, 2025: Russia Reacts to Trump’s Peace Plan Vesti Nedeli, Russia’s Channel 2 news program, opens the week by declaring “Kupyansk is ours” and discussing what it pointedly calls the “Trump peace plan” for Ukraine. Why is Moscow suddenly emphasizing flexibility while keeping its distance from a proposal that could force Russia to part
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