The Eastern Border

Everything that I know so far about the events in Belogorsk oblast, and the reaction to them and what we should look out for. Will keep You updated, please, follow me on Twitter for real-time stuff. @torquemadastarkSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As I'm making a news episode about the events in Belgorod oblast, I'd like to give you this interview with a  colleague of mine, Dylan Burns - American journalist and streamer, who's in Ukraine currently and doing a great job there. Everyone should   also check out his homepage, if You haven't already! https://www.dylanburns.tv/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings, Comrades! I was busy with my Foreign Policy Magazine article (which can be found here: https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/05/16/russia-prisons-wagner-group-ukraine-crime-culture/ ) last week, so I didn't have enough time to focus fully on the podcast news. But a major event is about to happen in my home country of Latvia and I really wanted to cover that. So, I invited Juris Kaža, who's been on the show multiple times by now to help me with that. Enjoy! Oh, and check out the article too - especially if you've listened to my Prison Culture 101 episode.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war. Prigozhin's angering Kremlin, Zakhar Prilepin's not telling us the truth  about his explosion and yet more counterattack rumors.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today is an extremely sad day for me. However. No matter what, Happiness is Mandatory. I bring you the news from Ukraine. Until the war ends. Information about the Ukraine counteroffensive from Prigozhin, Dmitry Medvedev and his nonsense, and new guidelines for Kremlin's propaganda machine. Happiness is Mandatory.  Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journalists from Вёрстка have created and finalized an in-depth investigation about how Putin first decided that he had issues with Ukraine and how this ties into with Viktor Medvedchuk…which, by the way, is often called “Putin’s Godfather”, and his childhood buddy with whom they did organised crime together. Also, his favorite Philosophers and everything. And I, of course, once again, did not sleep to make sure you get the English version first. Enjoy!Prigozhin and his personal weirdness coming in the next episode.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings, Comrades! In this episode, we are joined by Zack from When Diplomacy Fails podcast, to talk about how Girkin did (or did not) start the whole mess, make some predictions about the future, and discuss Irish politics a bit, because, they too - technically - are on the Eastern Border of the EU.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm hated by the Russian opposition, phone conversations that you have while the phone is tapped are considered public and everyone's on the edge about the counterattack.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war. Info about the situation on the front, Putin and Zelensky visit the front, more prisoner recruitment, Girkin has published the manifesto of his rag-tag angry patriot group, and an even more insane message from an even more rag-tag angry patriots.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I tried to make a basic overview of the post-Soviet prison culture, and how Putin relates to it and why you can't really be an expert of Russia if you don't understand it. It ended up being very long, chaotic and...well, I hope, entertaining. Cat decided to go utterly crazy today, and trying to compress a subject as deep and complex as this into a single episode also wasn't optimal. But hey, this isn't a news episode, this is just an in-between extra, so I don't really feel that bad about it.Also, links to my previous, more in-depth prison culture episodes.Part 1 - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/zaharchenko-and-prisons/id1070996136?i=1000419135897On apple podcasts, because the link on my homepage does not work, probably because of the cyberattacks the page experienced in 2020. Will try to get a homepage link working soon as well.Part 2 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GVDUAAoZ7Ha9yjt9ENg5bBecause again, I'm not sure if the homepage will work. I hadn't realized how old these episodes actually were.News coming out tomorrow. Happiness is mandatory!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm back on twitter! And people are helping me grow again! My tag is @torquemadastark, please join and tell others. About the news - in this episode, I look at the blatantly fascist, bordering on totalitarianism new conscription laws that Russia has adopted. There's also quite a lot of introductionary things aimed at my new listeners and also information about how Russia has constantly lied about the draft. Oh, and Girkin's finally getting into trouble.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings, Comrades! As I'm recoding my news episode  now - and that's a difficult one - I'd like to present you our discussion with our friend Andrew Heaton from the Political Orphanage podcast and our recurring sidetracking expert, and current Mad Baron of California, Alex from History Impossible. We tried to understand what Socialism really is, what it means in the west and in my side of the planet - and in the end, why do we keep calling new phenomenon using 19th century terms and what is says about us.Also, note that this is the first episode with our new theme song! I hope you like it, because...you know, a year in the war, it just felt wrong to keep using a Soviet army song, as kitch and ironic as it is. We're not throwing that one away, it's just that we have a new one, composed to us by a talented Estonian music writer Kristjan Thomas Haaristo.Enjoy!News coming soon - I'm using  the fact that  Anete just finished editing this to buy me some time for a better episode!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conflicts errupt in Russia among radical pro-war groups - Ramzan Kadyrov's Chechen thugs are in an open conflict with Girkin's buddies, the Russian ultranationalists. Normally, that would be the news - as it is big and important. This week, however, we learned that a FGS defector - an officer of Russian Secret Service - has defected and escaped to the west. And he's given an interview.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russian "war correspondent" has been blown up in St. Petersburg cafe, and who did it actually kind of doesn't matter. How it was done, and what such events mean for the country, now that's the important part. Oh, and Russian science has found a new low to fall down to. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings! Our guest in this episode was a businesswoman, philantropist, writer and Ukraine war volunteer, Mitzi Perdue - who is now organising a charity  drive to ensure a landmine-free childhood for Ukraine. Enjoy!Link to where you too can support the removal of landmines from Ukrainian fields:https://donorsee.com/UkraineSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we finally have hard, documented proofs about how Russian propaganda creates fakes and I take a look at why exactly wagner group is more effective than the rest of the Russian army.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is about war crimes. Italian newspaper, La Repubblica posted the materials, given to the inernational criminal court, by Italian investigators. I read those materials - and then the UN reports, that have been published previously and...well, on one hand, you'll learn what's behind the more polite descriptions of events that mainstream press use. On the other, please, do take the trigger warnings in the beginning seriously. Because what I read...yeah, that was hard even for me.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings, Comrades! This time, I bring you an interview with one of Latvia's most prominent journalist and one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ commune people in Latvia, where we talk about the stupid side of Latvian politics, war, his experiences being a Latvian and growing up in Chicago and what he things about republicans. I enjoyed this interview thoroughly, even if I wouldn't be so aggressive about some of the political stuff as he was. Enjoy!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News related to the war. Putin now has an arrest warrant on his head! And, apparently, his own propagandist wants to nuke him!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war. This time, a bit of philosophical musings about the end goals of the war, as I see them and an update about the most recent situation on the front lines.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war. Death of Timofey Shadura, Ramzan Kadyrov's apparently ill but still loves horses, and seems  that there has been a  change of plans for Ukraine in Bakhmut. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine. Today we go to the border town of Bryansk, and deal with the story…whatever it actually was. Concerning one of the very few actual nazis on the Ukrainian side, who’s actually a Russian and travels abroad with a Jewish passport apparently. It’s that kind of a story. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine! More pointless meatgrinder on the Russian side, Russia also damages their own education system and just a SPLENDID and GLORIOUS sabotage action by Belarussian partisans.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So, it’s been a year now. Every other news source will tell you about the tragic parts and all that, come, join me as I sit down (in massive amounts of pain tho) with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and talk about hope and light and the inspirational stuff. Sometimes you need that too. I even say a few good things about Biden on this one.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine. Prigozhin's causing a major rift inside of Russia, while a "famine of ammunition" causes massive damage to any offensive attempts of Putin's army.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine. Biden visits Kyiv, Girkin's showing some political ambition.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You'll laugh, of course, but we have another "fell out of a window". Also, Putin's plans for the "heroes of Russia" - namely the anniversary of the war have been leaked. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Situation on the front with Girkin’s view about the future – and news from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, post-Soviet countries with traditionally close ties to Russia, who are now experiencing difficulties. Uzbekistan – because Russia can’t (or won’t) help them anymore, Kazakhstan – because they’ve chosen to turn to China as their strategic partner, to get away from Russia, and that brings it’s own set of problems.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things are getting hot on the front lines again, and Russian offense looks even worse than expected. Meanwhile, hackers leak the official list of words, which Putin finds offensive.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been five years since I first mentioned Wagner group on my show, and it's a very special date for them - their first actual loss. A truly evil person also has died today, and we have our first reports about the current state of Russian economy, and it's looking worse than expected.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine. More infighting in Russia, this time between Putin's "United Russia" party and what they call "turbopatriots", which is accompanied by a snail's pace in the front and more deaths of the mobilized. Also, some predictions by those very turbopatriots why any Russian offensive is doomed to fail.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine. Girkin's feud with Prigozhin, how the chief of Wagner is losing influence and how his prisoner conscripts are abusing some newfound loopholes.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetigns, Comrades! This episode is a personal catharsis for me, because now and then I just want to have interesting people on my show and have a chat about them – it’s how I relax from all the war stuff. So, as many of you (just like me) play Paradox Interactive grand strategy games, especially EU4, you’ll find this episode extremely interesting, as I had a great conversation with what I consider the smartest and best EU4 streamer out there – and we talk quite a bit about serious stuff as well.But, you know, If you have zero idea about what I’m even talking about, feel free to skip, as you’ll get very confused. Or don’t, EU4 community is great, and so is the game! Maybe you’ll find it fun.And, of course, you can find Laith’s channel here:https://www.youtube.com/@TheSocialStreamersSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don't have good news for you today, But at least some explanation so that you knew. Because obviously Kremlin shills found a new way to make my life worse. I must have hurt Wagner group and Prigozhin's ego REAL bad. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had to lower the audio quality on this one, because acast only allows 150 mb's of upload size, Don't get angry. Because oh boy, where do I even start. Probably with the fact that this episode is so huge that I can't even directly upload it on my homepage, because of the sheer size of it. Also, it's mega, extra, triple controversial in every possible aspect. But...hey. It is, what it is.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war. Arestovich resigns - and that's seen as a good thing by many Ukrainians, weird ads on Russian TV and some commentary by our best nemesis, Girkin.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine. What the Russian conquest of Soledar has revealed about the cracks in their military leadership, some more western misconceptions about Russia and one more story for the "only in Russia" segment.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings, Comrades! About a year ago (give or take a few days) the Latvian-American journalist Juris Kaža was on our show, and we talked about the possibility of war, how it would go and made some hopeful and not-so hopeful predictions. So, I asked Juris to come back and look at how it all went. Enjoy!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine. With a rant that takes up half of the episode, because Russian liberals are best at what they do again – doing nothing and trying to prove to everyone that they’re amazing. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war. HIMARS strike in Makiivka and new instructions from kremlin handed out to Russian propagandists.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine. Russian woes continue! Ammunition is scarce, morale is low...and people are going to prison.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merry christmas, Comrades! It sure isn't happy for Russians, and in this episode, I loot at all the doom and gloom and talk about why.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war. This time, weird stuff (as usual) happening in Russia, and pro-war Girkin's friends explaining why it'll be hard for Russia to defend against Ukraine's next large offensive.And please, help our US friends fighting in Ukraine get the body armor they need:[email protected] this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war. Yet more signs that Russian state is collapsing from within, as Putin's government is losing it's monopoly on legitimate violence.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings, Comrades! In this episode, we look at the activities of the infamous PMC Wagner and how they operate in other theatres of war outside Ukraine. They're still very inhuman, and this episode was difficult to make. At any rate...here it is.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Girkin and Pals! Yeah, while my proper ep about Wagner group atrocities in Mali is being edited, just had to inform you that, as I call him on this ep, murder hobo adventurer Girkin is back in the information sphere! And oh boy, what adventures he's had!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back with the news about the war. This time, it's the weirdest, funniest story I've heard all war, yet another murder by Kadyrov's men and shenanigans concerning Russian opposition media and Latvian law.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News concerning the war. This time, about how Russia's got declared a state sponsor of terrorism by Europarliament and the saddest, most miserable, most disgusting staged, faked, propaganda event Putin could ever muster.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What we know about the Polish missile incident and two court decisions - with extremely interesting implications.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News about the war in Ukraine. This time, about life in liberated Kherson...and Wagner group does some truly evil acts.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.