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 collapsing on the battlefield and morally unraveling at home. In this episode, Andy Kuchins and Chris Monday trace how these contrasting storylines work together to reinforce their portrayal of Russia rising from a fractured, post-Western order.

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