September 14, 2026: The War Front and Center

When Vladimir Putin traveled to New Delhi for the annual BRICS summit, viewers of Russia’s flagship Sunday news program might have expected lavish coverage of the president holding court with world leaders. Instead, Vesti Nedeli relegates Putin to second billing and places the war in Ukraine front and center. It’s a curious choice given that Russia’s parliamentary elections are just days away, but it sends a subtle message that Putin isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Throughout the broadcast, colonels and war correspondents take the spotlight and presenters keep returning to the same question: “Why are we fighting?”

In this episode, Andy Kuchins and Chris Monday unpack how Vladimir Putin and Russian elites understand the world, and how they seek to influence it.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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