Rephonic
Artwork for Russian Roulette
Russia
Ukraine
China
European Union
Iran
NATO
War In Ukraine
Trump Administration
Ukraine War
United States
Middle East
Sanctions
CSIS
Europe
Kremlin
Cold War
Vladimir Putin
Kursk
Israel
Military Strategy

Hosted by Max Bergmann and Dr. Maria Snegovaya of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at CSIS, Russian Roulette explores the politics, history, and complex societies of Russia and Eurasia. Tune in for fascinating interviews and discussions on some of the biggest questions facing the broader post-Soviet space. Produced by David Lotfi, Lexi Linafelter, and Nicholas Fenton

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes160Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsGovernmentNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Russian Roulette

Latest Episodes

Max and Maria welcome Sir Lawrence Freedman, historian, author, and Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College London, to discuss the future of the war in Ukraine, how he sees the conflict evolving, and what to expect in the critical months ah... more

YouTube

Max and Maria welcome back Dr. Sam Greene, professor of Russian Politics at King's College London, to discuss the state of Russian public opinion today, and whether domestic conditions have begun change given the state of the economy, war, and report... more

YouTube

Max and Maria welcome back Elina Ribakova to discuss her latest piece in Foreign Affairs, exploring the Ukrainian defense industry and its potential capacity to help Europe secure its own defense.

More from Elina in Foreign Affairs: Europe’s Untappe... more

YouTube

Max and Maria are joined by journalist and author Julia Ioffe to discuss her recent book, Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy.

Motherland is available now from HarperCollins Publishers.

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Pekingology
PekingologyCenter for Strategic and International Studies
ChinaPower
ChinaPowerCSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Asia Chessboard
The Asia ChessboardCenter for Strategic and International Studies
In Moscow's Shadows
In Moscow's ShadowsMark Galeotti

Recent Guests

Lawrence Freedman
Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London
King's College London
Episode: Shifting Tides in Ukraine - Lawrence Freedman on the Future of the War
Sam Greene
Professor of Russian politics at King's College London
King's College London
Episode: War, Inflation, and Putin's Paranoia: has Russian Public Opinion Begun to Shift?
Julia Ioffe
Rock star journalist and author
PUC (founding partner and Washington correspondent)
Episode: The History of Russian Feminism with Julia Ioffe
Janis Kluge
Deputy Head of the Eastern Europe and Eurasia Division
German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)
Episode: How the Iran War and the Price of Oil Impact the Kremlin's Calculus
Alexander Cooley
Claire Tow Professor of Political Science at Barnard College; former Director of Harriman Institute
Barnard College / Harriman Institute
Episode: Transnational Corruption in Foreign Policy Today
Daniel Nexon
Professor at Georgetown University, Government and School of Foreign Service
Georgetown University
Episode: Transnational Corruption in Foreign Policy Today
Eric Ciaramella
Senior Fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; former Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council; former Ukraine Director on the National Security Council Staff
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Episode: Eric Ciaramella on How Europe Can Arm Ukraine
JP Gresh
Retired US Army Colonel and foreign area officer; former defense attaché in Moscow
CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program
Episode: Four Years of the War in Ukraine (Live Event)
Andrian Prokip
Head of the energy program at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future
Ukrainian Institute for the Future
Episode: Ukraine's Ongoing Energy Crisis

Hosts

Max Bergmann
Host of the show; Director of the Stuart Center and Europe-Russia Eurasia Program at CSIS
Maria Snegovaya
Co-host, Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 301 ratings
  • September 2025

    My favorite part of the show is the theme music!

    I imagine Maria dancing to the music, Go-Go Style, in a 1960s mini-skirt!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Geoplanter
    United States8 months ago
  • Great analysis

    Good to hear the full background and insights that these analyst bring.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    >>l
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Anti putin anti trump

    Pro DC pro EU pro war

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    very funny and clever pod
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Great wisdom

    The informed and professional people on this show bring a high level of thoughtful discussion.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    QE Infinity
    United Statesa year ago
  • Well-informed insightful analysis

    Excellent analysis, stellar panel of speakers with balanced and engaging hosts. One suggestion: in most analysis I miss the European Union as an agent on its own right. I understand that CSIS is an US based think-tank, but missing the EU’s views leaves the picture incomplete. Of course I am biased, working for one of the EU institutions… but still :-)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kihoyo
    Belgium2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the rigorous, academic approach but note occasional audio quality issues.
The show is seen as essential for anyone tracking Russia-Ukraine dynamics and energy geopolitics.
Provide listeners with in-depth, data-driven analysis of Russia and Eurasia.
High-quality guest line-up and hosts who challenge ideas in a respectful way.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#207
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#186
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#225
France/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#235
Germany/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#59
Sweden/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#60
Saudi Arabia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

War, Inflation, and Putin's Paranoia: has Russian Public Opinion Begun to Shift?
Q: What is your quick take on whether this signals a structural change in how the Kremlin governs Russian society?
There is no clear, qualitative shift that would topple the regime in the near term; rather, there is a durable fatigue and growing discontent that could erode support gradually, especially if economic conditions worsen or casualties rise, prompting elites to reconsider their stance.
The Ukrainian Defense Industry and Europe’s Untapped Arsenal
Q: What was the central argument of the Foreign Affairs piece and why now?
The piece argued that Ukraine could become Europe's defense arsenal due to its advanced drone tech and a unique ecosystem that accelerates innovation, especially in air defense given recent regional conflicts; the timing is tied to Israel-Iran dynamics and Europe's need for faster rearmament.
The History of Russian Feminism with Julia Ioffe
Q: What controversies or hard truths did you uncover while researching?
I uncovered that many foundational feminist reforms were limited by top-down implementation, and even when women entered professions in large numbers, enduring gender norms, labor division, and policy misalignments persisted, leading to widespread exhaustion and limited long-term transformation.
The History of Russian Feminism with Julia Ioffe
Q: How did you choose which women to center in the narrative?
I picked women who could illuminate larger historical contexts by being connected to the top leadership and by representing everyday life, and I leaned on conversations with historians like Nina Khrushcheva to identify the link between the women at the top and the country's fate; the goal was to tell the story through those women while weaving in the family stories.
The History of Russian Feminism with Julia Ioffe
Q: So Julia, could you give us an overview of your book and why you wrote it?
I wrote it partly because my family stories highlighted extraordinary women who were ordinary in their time, and I wanted to reveal how what felt ordinary could be deeply remarkable in the broader history; the project grew from the idea of retelling 150 years of history through the lens of Soviet and Russian women, rather than through male political leaders.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Russian Roulette

What is Russian Roulette about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Analyses center on Russia, Eurasia, and broader post-Soviet dynamics through in-depth conversations with policymakers, scholars, and practitioners. Episodes routinely dissect Moscow's domestic politics, economy, energy leverage, and foreign policy, while unpacking how war, sanctions, and regional power shifts reshape Europe and global security. A notable strength is bringing diverse expert voices—from think tanks, academia, and journalism—into long-form, issue-forward discussions that emphasize nuance, data, and historical context. The show often features forward-looking takes on defense, diplomacy, and governance, making it valuable for listeners involved in policy, strategy, and research who want rigorous, multi-perspective analysis witho... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Russian Roulette?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Russian Roulette. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Russian Roulette and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Russian Roulette get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Russian Roulette, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Russian Roulette?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Russian Roulette, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Russian Roulette have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Russian Roulette has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Russian Roulette?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Russian Roulette:

1. Pekingology
2. ChinaPower
3. The Asia Chessboard
4. War on the Rocks
5. In Moscow's Shadows

How many episodes of Russian Roulette are there?

Russian Roulette launched 10 years ago and published 160 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Russian Roulette?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Russian Roulette?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Russian Roulette from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Russian Roulette?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Russian Roulette. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Russian Roulette?

Recent guests on Russian Roulette include:

1. Lawrence Freedman
2. Sam Greene
3. Julia Ioffe
4. Janis Kluge
5. Alexander Cooley
6. Daniel Nexon
7. Eric Ciaramella
8. JP Gresh

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days