The Eastern Border

Kristaps Andrejsons

5.0 (9)
NEWS
UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast about the politics and the history of the eastern Europe - including, but not limited to the current state of Russia, politics of the EU, history of the USSR and the region in general. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17 HRS AGO

2.4 When the War Goes Out of Fashion: Orthodox AI, Dead Economies & The German Hallucination

Why did a German immigration officer deny asylum to a Russian torture victim by citing a press release from Sergei Shoigu? Why is the Russian Orthodox Church building an Artificial Intelligence to automate the writing of police denunciations? And why is Vladimir Putin personally designing a business plan for a single pie shop while the national gold reserves vanish? In this episode of The Eastern Border, we smash the glass of the "Republic of Fake." We travel from the heated offices of Berlin bureaucrats who have accepted the Kremlin’s lies as legal truth, to the frontlines where "Turbo-Patriots" are realizing that their holy war has become nothing more than an unfashionable subculture. We dig into the "Kickback Empire" where 50% of the imperial budget is stolen by handlers in Moscow, meet "Yura Unitaz"—the alleged toilet salesman in charge of Russia's drone war—and analyze the forensic data proving the Kadyrov regime is running on autopilot. The cake is rotting, friends. Don't eat it. IN THIS EPISODE: The Shoigu Precedent: How German bureaucracy was hacked by Russian apathy. The Mashenka Economy: The President, the Pie Shop, and the 1998 oil prices. Orthodox GPT: Outsourcing Judas to a server farm. The Kadyrov Glitch: Waze data, deleted Instagram posts, and the panic in Grozny. The Dead End: Why Russian nationalists admit "The SMO is out of fashion." SUPPORT THE FRONT LINE: Help our friends at Car4Ukraine turn civilian trucks into life-saving "Christmas Tree Trucks" for the defenders on the zero line: 👉 https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border/ YouTube version for those who prefer to enjoy the show that way. There's (accidentally) my cat in the background: https://youtu.be/jYOmjHjrHeY Become our patron: https://www.patreon.com/theeasternborder Merch store + another option for memberships: https://theeasternborder-shop.fourthwall.com/ Follow what's going on here in the very border of Eastern Europe: https://bsky.app/profile/theeasternborder.lv Download all episodes for free on our website; pictures accompanying certain episodes can be found there as well! http://theeasternborder.lv/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 min
3 DAYS AGO

2.3 The Republic of Fake

From the frozen balconies of Rēzekne to the digital hallucinations of the Kremlin, the Russian Federation has become a "Republic of Fake." In this episode, I broadcast from Pilda—just 22km from the Russian border—to tear down the "digital wall" Putin has built. We expose the absurdity of a war where soldiers are forced to weld rusty pipes to Soviet vans while the Ministry of Defense spends billions on AI censorship tools. We analyze General Gerasimov’s "Potemkin JPEGs"—fake maps of captured villages that exist only in PowerPoint to please the Czar. And most importantly, we look at the fridge. With 35,000 restaurants closing in a year and economists advising Muscovites to buy wood-burning stoves for their skyscrapers, the "War Economy" is finally revealing its true cost: The stability of the grave. Help us send REAL trucks to the front: car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border Become our patron: https://www.patreon.com/theeasternborder Merch store + another option for memberships: https://theeasternborder-shop.fourthwall.com/ Follow what's going on here in the very border of Eastern Europe: https://bsky.app/profile/theeasternborder.lv Download all episodes for free on our website; pictures accompanying certain episodes can be found there as well! http://theeasternborder.lv/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

35 min
17 JAN

Kadyrov saga: Proof that Adam Kadyrov's car crash did really happen and Kremlin's cover-up exposed.

The end of a twenty-year dictatorship didn’t come with a revolution. It came with the screech of tires at 5:00 PM on a Friday. While mainstream outlets are waiting for Kremlin press releases, we spent the night tracking the digital fallout of a catastrophic event in Chechnya. We know Ramzan Kadyrov is suffering from organ failure. We know his plan was to force his violent, 18-year-old son, Adam, onto the throne. Last night, that plan was smashed on the asphalt of Kishiev Avenue. In this expansive investigative report, we lay out the forensic evidence of the regime’s collapse: The Flight Logs: The midnight scramble of an elite “Flying ICU” (An-148) and Kadyrov’s private jet fleeing Grozny.The Fortress: How Strava heatmaps reveal the “digital cage” Kadyrov built around his palace long before the crash.The Cover-Up: The definitive proof. We caught the Russian authorities scrubbing their official maps (2GIS) at 4:00 AM, making the city look green and clear. But a simultaneous check of Waze revealed the truth: a massive, desperate blockade at the crash site that the censors couldn’t delete.The King is dying in Moscow. The Prince is broken. The throne in Grozny is vacant. This is the autopsy of a regime change. I really thing that you should be watching this in video format, but for those of you who prefer audio - well, who am I to stop you. But here's a YouTube link anyways: https://youtu.be/pKnOjkLu4a8 #TheEasternBorder #Kadyrov #Chechnya #Russia #OSINT #BreakingNews #InvestigativeJournalism Links: Help Ukraine win: car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border 🕵️‍♂️ Support independent investigations on Patreon: patreon.com/c/TheEasternBorder 👕 Wear the resistance: theeasternborder-shop.fourthwall.com #TheEasternBorder #kadyrov #chechnya #russia #osint #breakingnews #investigativejournalism #gonzojournalism Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

43 min
16 JAN

2.2 The Ice Age of the Z-Soul

Video version on YouTube (with actual video this time - I fixed the lights) https://youtu.be/ArDauZSpDT8 In this episode of The Eastern Border, we strip away the propaganda and look directly into the terminal necrosis of the Z-Empire. The "Geopolitical Greatness" has peeled off like cheap wallpaper, revealing the rot underneath. The Economic Suicide Note We start with the panic in the Kremlin’s wallet. The US has seized a sixth Russian tanker, and the "Z-Patriots" are finally realizing that Donald Trump isn't their savior—he is their repo man. We read the latest dispatch from oligarch Oleg Deripaska, who has penned what amounts to a suicide note for the Russian economy. He calls it "Perestroika-2." He warns of mass bankruptcy by June. He confirms that the "Sovereignty" they fought for is just a clearance sale for China. The Phantom Airforce We listen to Vladimir Baglaev, a Cherepovets factory director who sounds less like a captain of industry and more like a nihilist philosopher. He breaks down the Kremlin’s plan to build "1,000 airplanes" by 2030 and reveals the funding gap is 99%. There are no planes. There are no machines. And, thanks to the war, there is no one left to build them. The Asylum of Lost Souls But if you think the economy is broken, wait until you see the minds. We tour the ideological asylum with Colonel Vladimir Kvachkov, the retired GRU officer who wants to combine the Gulag with the Monastery into a "Russian Christian Socialist State." And finally, we witness the ultimate collapse of meaning. Alexander Dugin—the "Brain of the State"—has identified the true metaphysical enemy of Russia. It is not NATO. It is not the West. It is Cheburashka. Dugin has declared a holy war against the Soviet cartoon character, identifying him as a "Demon of the Moon" and a symbol of liberal post-humanism. The pipes are bursting. The factories are silent. And the philosophers are hunting cartoons. This isn't strategy. It is entropy. And entropy is undefeated. Stay warm, stay hard, and keep your powder dry. Links mentioned in this episode: ❄️ Support the Show: Patreon🚚 Car4Ukraine (Real Trucks): Christmas Tree Trucks 2025 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

32 min
11 JAN

Other Borders with Michael Hillard of The Red Line

Greetings, Comrades! Today we are joined by our good friend Michael Hillard of The Red Line podcast to get updates about what’s going on in the other periphery of the post-Soviet sphere – central asia and transnistria. There’s also a bit about Australia, because the temperature differences at the time of recording between Michael and me couldn’t be more stark. Please, also donate for cars to the Ukrainian army: https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1h 7m
5 JAN

2.1 Z(ed) is Dead

"Zed's dead, baby. Zed's dead." In this episode of The Eastern Border, we dive into the surreal start of 2026. While the world watches the US conduct a "Blitzkrieg" operation in Venezuela to snatch Nicolas Maduro, the Kremlin is strangely silent. Why? Because the "Jungle Law" Vladimir Putin prayed for has finally arrived—and he’s realizing he isn’t the biggest predator in the forest. Also, please, donate to the Cars4Ukraine: https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 min
3 JAN

The Migthy Potato Awards…and also a bit about Venezuela and Vatniks

Greetings, Comrades – the time for the Migthy Potato awards has come! So, join us for this (very unscripted) first episode of the year, where we give out The Migthy Potato to the worst and funniest nonsense that we’ve seen last year – and, ehh…as usual for when I want to relax a bit, weird things happen in the world. Also, I managed to accidentally slice my fingers open pretty badly during this stream so we had to cut this short. Here’s a link to the stream, as I was told that making this as an audio post would be a bit better. https://youtube.com/live/lJYRR5CuPjc Please, also donate to Ukraine if You can: https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

42 min
30/12/2025

25. "Noble Knights" & Corruption : The Truth Behind Russia's '91-Drone Attack on Putin's House' Lie

In this emergency news episode, I tear down the "Valdai Mirage." I look at the physics that make their claim impossible, the massive bureaucratic screw-up that exposed the lie, and the hilarious meltdown of the "Z-Bloggers" who are furious that their government can't even fake a battle correctly. Happy new year, Comrades. This one's free for patrons, I've pressed the "Charge for this post" enough times this month already. Please, if you can, donate to the Ukrainian army for the trucks that they need: https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 min

See All (689)

5

out of 5

9 Ratings

Great pod

18/10/2024

TimberNZ

I’m guessing the Russians are killing your ratings so this pods not found, keep up the great work!
Fantastic!

18/04/2022

disruptive kiwi

This should be more popular! A great way to hear about the history of a different country and culture.
This is really good.

03/09/2021

ffffffffrankie

This podcast is the goods. Listen to it.
The people’s history

01/07/2021

kiwi comrade

Excellent history of Soviet Times. Thank you Eastern Border for putting peoples lived experience at the heart of a history podcast.

A podcast about the politics and the history of the eastern Europe - including, but not limited to the current state of Russia, politics of the EU, history of the USSR and the region in general. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.