In 2015 Putin’s number one public enemy, Boris Nemtsov, was shot and killed in front of the Kremlin. He was a relentless critic of Putin, corruption, and war in Ukraine. Then, he was assassinated. His daughter, journalist Zhanna Nemtsova, and co-host Ben Rhodes tell his story to find out what happened to an entire country – and what happens next. Is another Russia possible?
…
continue reading
KennanX is a podcast about our never-ending effort to understand Russia and the region. Hosted by Jill Dougherty.
…
continue reading
1
Russia’s Security Approach to Public Health
30:46
30:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:46
Russia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that the Kremlin’s approach to public health is inextricable from its national security goals. Jill Dougherty and Nataliya Shok discuss the evolution of public health policy in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Sputnik V vaccine as a foreign policy tool, and what policymakers …
…
continue reading
1
How to Declassify National Security Secrets
24:40
24:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:40
The National Security Archive at George Washington University is the largest independent non-government collection of declassified US documents and a goldmine of primary resources for scholars of US-Russia relations. Tom Blanton, director of the National Security Archive, and Dr. Svetlana Savranskaya, a senior analyst and director of the Archive’s …
…
continue reading
1
Inside the Mind of Vladimir Putin with Ivan Grek
21:18
21:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:18
“Is Putin insane?” Vladimir Putin's speeches can offer insight into the Kremlin’s political thought patterns and intentions, but they are often misunderstood. Jill Dougherty sits down with Ivan Grek, Director of the Russia Program at George Washington University’s Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, who created a linguistic profi…
…
continue reading
1
Influence Operations and Russia’s Vision of the Future
28:45
28:45
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:45
Russia is determined that its war in Ukraine will shape the outlines of the future world order, and it’s using influence operations to ensure the outcome will be in Russia’s favor. Washington Post international investigative reporter Catherine Belton joins Jill Dougherty to discuss the crucial role of influence operations in Russia’s military aggre…
…
continue reading
1
Tracing the Red Thread to Russia with Ambassador John Beyrle
29:36
29:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
29:36
Jill Dougherty sits down with former US Ambassador to Russia and Bulgaria John R. Beyrle to discuss their shared foundational experiences in Soviet Russia, including as US exchange students in then-Leningrad and later as American National Exhibition guides, and how they still inform their work in journalism and diplomacy today.…
…
continue reading
1
Georgia's Democratic Vision with Tinatin Khidasheli
34:52
34:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:52
Ukraine isn’t the only country that’s fighting Russian influence for its democratic future. Tinatin Khidasheli, Georgia’s first female minister of defense and current Chairperson at Civic IDEA (Initiative for Democratic and Euro-Atlantic Choice), an NGO in Georgia, joins Jill Dougherty to discuss tensions between Georgia’s government and its civil …
…
continue reading
1
Surviving a Political Poisoning with Natalia Arno
21:55
21:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:55
A shocking number of Kremlin opponents have been left dead or permanently injured from poisonings. During a trip to Prague in May 2023, Free Russia Foundation President and Founder Natalia Arno became one of the latest individuals to develop poisoning symptoms after speaking out against political oppression in Russia. Arno shares her harrowing stor…
…
continue reading
1
Changing Russia’s Future with Zhanna Nemtsova
38:32
38:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:32
Jill Dougherty sits down with Zhanna Nemtsova to discuss her work with the Boris Nemtsov Foundation, which Zhanna founded in 2015 in Germany after her father’s assassination, and the generational gaps that have divided Russian civil society. Their conversation touched on the prevailing apathy of Russian society in the face of Russia's invasion of U…
…
continue reading
1
Introducing Dreamtown: The Story of Adelanto
33:29
33:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
33:29
Chapter 1: Bug’s Plan. It’s 2014. Adelanto is a bankrupt city in the California desert known for its massive detention centers and not much else. Then, a stranger comes to town with a wild idea to make Adelanto great again: Become the first city in Southern California to legalize commercial weed cultivation. Subscribe to Dreamtown to hear episode t…
…
continue reading
1
Estonia on the Edge: A Conversation with Ambassador Jonatan Vseviov
20:58
20:58
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:58
Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former Estonian Ambassador to the US, joins Jill Dougherty to discuss what it means to conduct foreign policy for a country that shares a border with Russia, particularly in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They discuss how Estonia’s fraught relationship w…
…
continue reading
1
Introducing Pod Save the UK: Protest, Eurovision and Showgirls
51:12
51:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:12
While we were busy being dazzled by glittery crowns and golden coaches…did the authorities sneak in and steal away our rights? New laws have given the police wide ranging powers to arrest protestors - scuppering the plans of anti-monarchy protestors to demonstrate against the Coronation. Instead they were arrested, detained and then released withou…
…
continue reading
1
Russian Cuisine and Conflict with Darra Goldstein
26:14
26:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:14
Food scholar and author Darra Goldstein joins Jill Dougherty to discuss her new book, The Kingdom of Rye: A Brief History of Russian Food. They cover the origins and histories of many classic Russian dishes and ingredients as well as their place within the broader culture. Their conversation also touches on the political dynamics between food cultu…
…
continue reading
1
Is Russia Serious About Diplomacy? With Amb. John Sullivan
31:05
31:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:05
Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan joins Jill Dougherty following an ambassadorship during one of the most tumultuous periods of U.S.-Russia relations to provide his perspective on the current relationship and Russia's troubling diplomatic strategies. Their discussion also touches on the domestic impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a…
…
continue reading
Russian independent news channel TV Rain (Dozhd TV) has been operating in Latvia since June 2022, after Kremlin authorities blocked the channel as a result of its coverage of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Now TV Rain’s operation is once again in peril after on-air remarks from one of its anchors resulted in the channel losing its Latvian…
…
continue reading
1
Fighting Strategic Corruption with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
17:52
17:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
17:52
Jill Dougherty is joined by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse to discuss how corruption serves not only to enrich the elites of Russia, but also as tool to ensure continuity of power and that all opposition—both internal and external—is crushed. Senator Whitehouse also explains how this corruption directly targets the United States and the steps the gover…
…
continue reading
Zhanna recounts the night of her father’s assassination. In the days following, there is a massive memorial march through the center of Moscow and Boris Nemtsov becomes a symbol of opposition to Putin. Years later, Zhanna reflects on what her father’s story means for Russia today. If you want to learn more about the stories of Russians who are stan…
…
continue reading
Putin annexes Crimea and Nemtsov goes hard in his opposition to the war in Ukraine. Banners with Nemtsov’s face on them calling him a “national traitor” line the streets of Moscow. Zhanna tries to persuade her father to leave Russia. If you want to learn more about the stories of Russians who are standing up to autocracy and how you can help suppor…
…
continue reading
As Putin tightens his grip on the Kremlin, Boris Nemtsov tries to build an opposition movement. He joins forces with a young and tenacious leader named Alexei Navalny. Their alliance culminates in the biggest protest Russia has seen since the days of the Soviet Union. It also sparks a brutal crackdown. If you want to learn more about the stories of…
…
continue reading
The oligarchs install Vladimir Putin to replace Yeltsin as the president. But it soon becomes clear Putin has no interest in being the lapdog of the rich and powerful. Boris Nemtsov goes into opposition and starts to face the consequences. If you want to learn more about the stories of Russians who are standing up to autocracy and how you can help …
…
continue reading
Boris Nemtsov goes to Moscow as Deputy Prime Minister to take on Russia’s newly-minted oligarchs in a showdown that would determine the future of the country. He’ll find out whether idealism can trump money and power. If you want to learn more about the stories of Russians who are standing up to autocracy and how you can help support their work, ch…
…
continue reading
In the wake of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, a young physicist named Boris Nemtsov becomes active in politics and runs for office as the Soviet Union is collapsing. Decades later, his daughter Zhanna Nemtsova tells the story of how her father became the heir apparent to the Russian presidency. If you want to learn more about the stories of Russia…
…
continue reading
Host Jill Dougherty shares the second part of her conversations with Russian journalists — both those now in exile and those who remain in the country — about how their lives have changed after the Kremlin’s crackdown on independent media and full-scale invasion of Ukraine. She is joined by Sergey Parkhomenko, Russian journalist and Kennan Senior A…
…
continue reading
In 2015 Putin’s number one public enemy, Boris Nemtsov, was shot and killed in front of the Kremlin. He was a relentless critic of Putin, corruption, and war in Ukraine. Then, he was assassinated. His daughter, journalist Zhanna Nemtsova, and co-host Ben Rhodes tell his story to find out what happened to an entire country – and what happens next. I…
…
continue reading
Since Russia launched its war against Ukraine in February, hundreds of journalists have left their country because they felt threatened by the Kremlin's crackdown on free speech. In the latest KennanX, Jill Dougherty presents the first in a two-part series profiling Russian journalists who have fled. She is joined by The Insider Founder Roman Dobro…
…
continue reading
1
Special Announcement + Rebroadcast: Who is Vladimir Putin?
39:34
39:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:34
Host Jill Dougherty has a special announcement about the future of the KennanX podcast. Plus, we’re sharing a recent conversation between Wilson Center President Mark Green and Baroness Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, about the impact that Russia’s war in Ukraine is having on Europe…
…
continue reading
The standoff at the Russia-Ukraine border has reached a boiling point following the Biden and Putin video conference. Moscow is demanding major revisions to European security. In this episode of KennanX, Ambassador John Tefft – former ambassador to Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Lithuania – joins Jill to discuss Putin’s red lines and what they mean.…
…
continue reading
1
Dangerous Whispers: Politics and Conspiracies in the post-Soviet Space
21:47
21:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:47
Political discourse in Russia and the post-Soviet space is rife with conspiracy theories, as well as politicians who utilize them to gain an upper hand. On this episode of KennanX, Scott Radnitz, author of Revealing Schemes: The Politics of Conspiracy in Russia and the Post-Soviet Region, joins Jill to discuss the politics driving conspiracies in t…
…
continue reading
1
Complicated Legacies: The U.S. and Russia in Afghanistan
48:52
48:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:52
With echoes of the Soviet retreat, the last American plane left Afghanistan on August 31, 2021 following two decades of war. How do the legacies of the Soviet and American occupations compare, and what does the future hold for Russian-Afghan relations with the Taliban now in charge? Our host Jill Dougherty is joined by Michael Kugelman and others f…
…
continue reading
1
A Demonstration for Dignity: A Conversation with Svetlana Tikhanovskaya
31:29
31:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:29
It’s been nearly one year since Alexander Lukashenko declared victory over Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in an election rife with fraud. In this episode of KennanX, our host Jill Dougherty is joined by Ms. Tikhanovskaya for a conversation about her campaign for President of Belarus, the fallout from the election, what motivates her to stay in the fight, a…
…
continue reading
1
Do Russia and the United States speak the same language on Cyber?
27:15
27:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
27:15
In their June summit, Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin pledged to restart a strategic dialogue on cyber issues. In this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty explores how the United States and Russia interact in the cyber realm, and how each country defines how it uses cyber for its national security. She speaks with Meg King of the Wilson Cent…
…
continue reading
On October 22, 1962, American families gathered around their televisions for an address by President Kennedy. What they heard shocked them. In this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty revisits the Cuban Missile Crisis, uncovering lessons learned - and forgotten - with Serhii Plokhy, Director of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University …
…
continue reading
1
Protests on the Silk Road: Analyzing Central Asia with the Oxus Society
16:56
16:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
16:56
In October 2020, Kyrgyzstan’s capital was rocked by protests following an allegedly rigged parliamentary election, ultimately resulting in the resignation of Kyrgyz President Jeenbekov. In this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty explores the political geography and changing societal dynamics in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia with Edward Lemon, Preside…
…
continue reading
In this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty explores the characteristics and dynamics associated with the generation of young Russians that have grown up with Vladimir Putin as their leader for two decades. She speaks with Denis Volkov, Deputy Director at the Levada Center in Moscow, and Maria Snegovaya, Non-resident Fellow at the Atlantic Council a…
…
continue reading
Since Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory over Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in an election rife with fraud, Belarus has been rocked by protests. Empowered by Tikhanovskaya and other female leaders, women have taken to the streets, forming the backbone of these society-altering protests. In this episode, Jill speaks with Elena Gapova of Western Michigan …
…
continue reading
1
"You Can't Say That!" - Political Correctness, Russian-style
18:43
18:43
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:43
In Russia, one of the hottest subjects for debate right now, on TV and in print, is political correctness. What do Russians mean by "political correctness?" In this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty speaks with Russian journalist, TV personality, socialite, and former presidential candidate, Ksenia Sobchak, about political correctness, Russian-sty…
…
continue reading
America is losing the information war. But why? On this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty speaks with Nina Jankowicz about the scourge of foreign and domestic disinformation in America and how we can build a more disinformation-resilient society. Nina Jankowicz is the Disinformation Fellow at the Wilson Center and the author of How Not to Lose the…
…
continue reading
1
George Soros: The Anatomy of a Global Conspiracy Theory
13:21
13:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
13:21
How did George Soros become an international bogeyman? In this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty speaks with Emily Tamkin about the proliferation of conspiracy theories surrounding the Hungarian-American philanthropist and investor, from Eastern Europe and Russia to the United States. Emily Tamkin is author of The Influence of Soros: Politics Powe…
…
continue reading
1
Yelena Khanga: On family, growing up in the USSR, and Black Lives Matter
16:33
16:33
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
16:33
In this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty speaks with Yelena Khanga about the story of her family, what it was like growing up Black in the Soviet Union, and the Black Lives Matter movement here in America. Yelena Khanga is a Russian journalist, talk show host, and author of “Soul to Soul: A Black Russian Jewish Woman’s Search for Her Roots.”…
…
continue reading
In this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty examines the uncertainties - and risks - associated with interpreting signals from adversaries in the cyber domain. Three experts explain the danger: George Beebe of the Center for the National Interest; Chris Painter, President, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise; and JD Work, the Bren Chair for Cyber Confli…
…
continue reading
COVID-19 is spreading in Russia. In this episode, Jill Dougherty is joined by Judy Twigg, Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Oksana Antonenko, Director at Control Risks, for a discussion on how the Russian health system is handling the pandemic, how the average Russian is dealing with the crisis, and how the crisis will affect Putin…
…
continue reading
1
Russkiy Stol: Russian Cuisine with Darra Goldstein
21:26
21:26
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:26
n this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty has a delicious conversation with Darra Goldstein, author of a new cookbook on Russian cuisine entitled “Beyond the North Wind: Russia in Recipes and Lore.” What can you expect? Recipes from the northern corner of Russia and the processes at the heart of Russian cooking: fermentation and preservation. The c…
…
continue reading
Talented individuals are fleeing Russia for greener pastures. In this episode of KennanX, Jill Dougherty discusses the causes of Russian talent flight and the pain of leaving one’s country with Sergei Guriev, Professor and Scientific Director of the Master and PhD programmes in Economics at SciencesPo in Paris; Galina Timchenko, Russian journalist …
…
continue reading
1
Nuclear Insecurity: Should New START Die?
19:08
19:08
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
19:08
There are approximately 1,500 Russian nuclear warheads aimed at the U.S. The U.S. has about the same number aimed at Russia. In February, 2021, the last remaining arms control agreement between Russia and the U.S., New START, is set to expire. In this episode, Jill Dougherty sits down with John Beyrle, former Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2…
…
continue reading
“On April 26, 1986, a power surge destroyed Unit 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant causing the largest nuclear disaster in history. On this episode of KennanX our host, Jill Dougherty, explores the lasting legacy and impact of Chernobyl. We are joined by Craig Mazin, Creator and Producer of HBO’s Chernobyl; Serhii Plokhii, Director, Ukraine Re…
…
continue reading