Russian Roulette
Politics, Economics, and Culture of Russia and Eurasia from CSIS
CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies · Center for Strategic and International Studies
Show overview
Russian Roulette has been publishing since 2018, and across the 8 years since has built a catalogue of 170 episodes. That works out to roughly 130 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a monthly cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 37 min and 48 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-US-language News & Politics show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed yesterday, with 22 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2025, with 30 episodes published. Published by Center for Strategic and International Studies.
From the publisher
Russian Roulette takes a look at the politics, economics, and culture of Russia and Eurasia through both interviews and lively discussion with experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and around the world. Hosted by CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program experts Olga Oliker and Jeffrey Mankoff.
Latest Episodes
View all 170 episodesRussian Roulette LIVE: Putin's Global Campaign to Defeat the West with Hanna Notte
Red Lines and Reality: The West's Escalation Dilemma in Ukraine
Where Crises Converge: Russia's Role in the Middle East
Putin’s Propaganda Machine in Russian Classrooms (A Russian Language Exclusive)
Russia's Classrooms Face Putin’s Propaganda Machine
How Ukraine Fights: Reflections from the Front Lines feat. Nate Vance
Has the War Come Home to Russia?
Ukraine's Dynamic Defense Sector: Combat Hubs, Air Defense, and Non-Stop Innovation
How Drone Innovation Reshapes the Battlefield in Ukraine with Kate Bondar
Dr. Nina Khrushcheva: History, Evolution, and a View from Inside Russia
Shifting Tides in Ukraine - Lawrence Freedman on the Future of the War
War, Inflation, and Putin's Paranoia: has Russian Public Opinion Begun to Shift?
The Ukrainian Defense Industry and Europe’s Untapped Arsenal
The History of Russian Feminism with Julia Loffe
How the Iran War and the Price of Oil Impact the Kremlin's Calculus
Max and Maria are joined by Hanna Notte and Janis Kluge for a deep dive on how the Iran war and turmoil in global energy markets continue to impact Russian foreign policy. This conversation was recorded on March 25, 2026.
BONUS EPISODE: What the Iran War Means for Russia
Max sat down with Michael Kimmage for a rapid fire session running over the potential implications of the ongoing war in the Middle East for Russian foreign policy. This conversation was recorded on March 19, 2026.
Transnational Corruption in Foreign Policy Today
Max and Maria spoke with Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon about how authoritarian and illiberal governments leverage transnational corruption as part of their foreign policies and global strategies. This conversation was recorded on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. "The Age of Kleptocracy: Geopolitical Power, Private Gain" by Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon (Foreign Affairs, February 2026) Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics by Alexander Cooley and Alexander Dukalskis (Oxford University Press, 2025)
Eric Ciaramella on How Europe Can Arm Ukraine
Eric Ciaramella of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace returned to the show to discuss his recent article with Sophia Besch on the ways that European states can support Ukraine militarily without the involvement of the U.S. Max and Maria asked him about his piece, the funding questions behind its ideas, and Eric's overall assessment on peace negotiations with Russia. This conversation was recorded on February 26, 2026. "Fortress Ukraine: How a Coalition of the Willing Can Rearm Kyiv Without Washington," by Eric Ciaramella and Sophia Besch (Foreign Affairs, January 2026). "What If Trump Gets His Russia-Ukraine Deal?" by Eric Ciaramella (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, February 2026).
Four Years of the War in Ukraine (Live Event)
Max and Maria spoke with Hanna Notte, JP Gresh, and Michael Kimmage at a live CSIS event marking the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This conversation was recorded on February 23, 2026. For the video recording of this event, please go to CSIS.org. "Putin Had High Hopes for Trump. They Have Been Dashed," by Hanna Notte (The New York Times, February 2026). Preorder We Shall Outlast Them: Putin's Global Campaign to Defeat the West, by Hanna Notte (W.W. Norton & Company, August 2026).
Ukraine's Ongoing Energy Crisis
Max and Maria were joined by Andrian Prokip and Tim McDonnell to discuss the relentless Russian bombardment of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and what this means for average Ukrainians trying to survive the winter months. Be sure to explore Tim McDonnell’s newsletter, Semafor Energy.