Mark Galeotti
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markgaleotti.bsky.social
Mark Galeotti
@markgaleotti.bsky.social

Analyst of murky topics from Russian politics to organised crime.

Mark Galeotti is a British historian, lecturer and writer on transnational crime and Russian security affairs and director of the consultancy Mayak Intelligence. He is an honorary professor at the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies, and an associate fellow in Euro-Atlantic geopolitics at the Council on Geostrategy, as well as formerly a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. .. more

Political science 78%
Sociology 15%

I'm (sadly) sceptical about the chatter around the idea that Putin might step down in favour of Dmitry Kozak, but in case anyone is interested, I profiled "the technocrat with the Cheshire Cat smile" in episode 117 of In Moscow's Shadows, on 8 Oct. 2023
www.buzzsprout.com/1026985/epis...
In Moscow's Shadows 117: Security Politics and the President Who Can't Change His Spots - In Moscow's Shadows
The Russian police are increasingly under pressure. The National Guard is getting into the mercenary game. There is talk (probably empty) of Wagner being reconstituted under Evgeny Prigozhin's son Pav...
www.buzzsprout.com

Reposted by Mark Galeotti

Just received my copy of the Italian edition of HOMO CRIMINALIS. The title makes it sound a tad like a textbook, but the subtitle ('the dark side of human civilisation') helps!

Reposted by Mark Galeotti

Reposted by Mark Galeotti

On December 22, the funeral of Stanislav Orlov ("The Spaniard") took place at the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. Orlov was the leader of the far-right brigade "Espanola" (88th Reconnaissance and Sabotage Brigade), who was compared to Prigozhin and Arsen "Motorola" Pavlov.

I was called a 'ranting Russophobe' in propaganda - it proves Putin's watching us
My rapid journey from respected expert to ranting Russophobe, at least as far as Moscow's press is concerned - and the Russian media's fascination with what's in our own, for @theipaper.com
inews.co.uk/news/world/l...
I was called a 'ranting Russophobe' in propaganda - it proves Putin's watching us
Moscow's propagandists will slant and spin, but they can't take their eyes off the West
inews.co.uk

I realise I failed to flag up this wide-ranging conversation I had with the fascinating Philipp Blom for his Blomcast 'On Russia, Historical Continuity, and the Business of Diplomacy'
blomcast.buzzsprout.com/2104173/epis...
[58] Mark Galeotti — On Russia, Historical Continuity, and the Business of Diplomacy - BlomCast
In this episode of the BlomCast, I engage with historian Mark Galeotti to explore the complexities of Russian history, military strategy, and the interplay of crime and society. They discuss the conti...
blomcast.buzzsprout.com

Reposted by Mark Galeotti

Monday morning re-up: from 4.5 hours of the generally dull ritual of Putin's annual press conference/monarch-listens-to-the-people there are still some insights to be found, not least in the disconnect between what he wanted to talk about and what his people wanted to raise...
In Moscow's Shadows 228: Blood & Soil versus Bread & Butter

What can we learn from 4.5 hours? A marked disconnect with a population that feels its social contract has been broken... and a president seeming less grounded and focused than in the past.

www.buzzsprout.com/1026985/epis...
In Moscow's Shadows 228: Blood & Soil versus Bread & Butter - In Moscow's Shadows
Putin's latest marathon press conference/call-in show Itogi Goda ('Results of the Year'), once Direct Line, has become an annual ritual. 4.5 hours, 3M submitted questions, but what can we learn? Intra...
www.buzzsprout.com

Reposted by Mark Galeotti

In Moscow's Shadows 228: Blood & Soil versus Bread & Butter

What can we learn from 4.5 hours? A marked disconnect with a population that feels its social contract has been broken... and a president seeming less grounded and focused than in the past.

www.buzzsprout.com/1026985/epis...
In Moscow's Shadows 228: Blood & Soil versus Bread & Butter - In Moscow's Shadows
Putin's latest marathon press conference/call-in show Itogi Goda ('Results of the Year'), once Direct Line, has become an annual ritual. 4.5 hours, 3M submitted questions, but what can we learn? Intra...
www.buzzsprout.com

Putin smiles when your wifi fails: he’s waging a war of irritation

Call it hybrid war, shadow war, or whatever the latest vogue vague term, my take on Putin's weaponisation of inconvenience for @thetimes.com

www.thetimes.com/world/europe...
Putin smiles when your wifi fails: he’s waging a war of irritation
MI6 is right to warn about Russia’s campaign of petty sabotage against the West. The goal is to disrupt and distract
www.thetimes.com

Reposted by Mark Galeotti

Reposted by Steve Peers

Macron is right: Europe should talk to Putin
This will no doubt inspire fury in some quarters, at the v thought of talking to Putin, but if Europe doesn't, then it is handing all the initiative to Trump. My take for the @thespectator1828.bsky.social blog
spectator.com/article/macr...
Macron is right: Europe should talk to Putin
There is a quietly emerging sentiment in Europe that simply shunning Putin as a bad man is simply not working.
spectator.com