In Moscow's Shadows 239: Wars Foreign and Domestic

How does the Iran war look to Russia, at once a potential morass for the USA (and Europe) and a case study, many in policy circles feel, on why not to trust Washington. It's also a laboratory for what one Russian military theorist called "non-contact war," and may help shape Moscow's notions of the future of conflict. Then it’s home to Moscow’s underworld, where a fragile peace holds between Shakro Molodoi and Badri Kutaissky, while younger “thieves‑in‑law” turn old grudges into proxy fights. One death, one arrest, or a shock from Chechnya could snap the stalemate and pull the state into an ugly arbitration it can neither control nor ignore. The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr , which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations. You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows , and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access to exclusive extra materials including the (almost-) weekly Govorit Moskva news briefing right here . Support the show

You can listen to In Moscow's Shadows 239: Wars Foreign and Domestic online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

In Moscow's Shadows 239: Wars Foreign and Domestic is an episode from In Moscow's Shadows by Mark Galeotti.

This episode is 49:48 long.

This episode was published on Mar 8, 2026.

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