In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Michael Maro hosts blogger, researcher, and journalist Alex Zeitlin for a fascinating in-depth conversation that breaks down conventions and accepted perceptions about the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Topics covered in the conversation include:
• Historical and Cultural Roots: How the collapse of the Soviet Union, issues of national identity, and the historical legacy in eastern and western Ukraine shaped the beginning of the conflict.
• Putin's Counter-Prophecy: How Russia's attempt to suppress Ukraine's democratic and free model actually shaped and built the modern Ukrainian nation.
• Battlefield Upheaval: The dramatic transformation that both militaries have undergone from 2014 to the present, and the advanced technological solutions that have come into use in combat.
• Did NATO really threaten Russia? Dismantling the propaganda narrative in the face of reality on the ground, and how the Kremlin's moves actually led to a dramatic expansion and unprecedented armament of NATO in Europe.
• Behind the scenes in the Kremlin: The rise of the "siloviki" (security forces), the strengthening of extremist elements, and Putin's desperate search for a "victory image" that will allow him to end the war.
• The Israeli angle and the effects of consciousness: involvement, consciousness engineering, and bot activity on social networks in Israel and around the world.
0:00 – Opening: The never-ending war and a surprising revelation about the maternity hospital
0:51 – Putin's background and his rise to power in the 1990s
2:11 – Zelensky: From comedian to president in wartime
3:09 – The "phantom pains" of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the problem of identity in Ukraine
4:25 – Religious complexity: The Uniate Church in the West vs. The Paraslavic in the East
6:24 – Eastern Ukraine and Industrial History Since Catherine the Great
8:38 – The Leadership in Ukraine Over the Years and the Connection to the East and the Russian Language
12:02 – Changing National Identity and Making Ukrainian the Dominant Language
13:48 – The Tragedy of the Slavic and Sister Wars
14:43 – How Putin’s War Shaped the Ukrainian Nation
16:47 – Putin’s Flash Plans for 2022 and the Surprise in the Face of Ukrainian Resistance
22:02 – The Atmosphere on the Ground, Logistics Problems, and Frustration That Led to the Bucha Incidents
23:03 – Learning and Technological Development of Both Armies on the Modern Battlefield
25:53 – Putin’s Real Motive: Fear of a Free Democratic Model in Ukraine
30:05 – Was NATO a Real Threat? Propaganda versus reality on the ground
31:15 – As a result of the war: an arms race in Europe and NATO expansion
34:39 – The elimination of the opposition in Russia and the absence of civil society
36:34 – Trump’s approach and the impact of Russian mind engineering in the West and Italy
39:36 – Involvement and activity of Russian bots on social networks in Israel
42:45 – Criticism of the closure of the media and official propaganda in Ukraine
44:24 – The danger of the conflict spilling over and hybrid war/sabotage operations in Europe
46:25 – NATO and Germany’s preparation for a scenario of direct confrontation
48:02 – Putin’s scenario: a limited attack in the Baltic states and a nuclear threat
49:25 – Russian involvement in Israeli politics
50:47 – The shift in the centers of power in the Kremlin: the search for an image of victory
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