Podcast. Two Russian journalists talk about pro-Putin Russia

Do the Russians really believe in the propaganda served up to them by the Kremlin? And why are they nostalgic for the Soviet period? To understand this, the Russian journalists Elizaveta Chugunova and Andrey Kazantsev invite us to dive into the ordinary life of a village in the Urals: Fère-Champenoise (or Ferchampenouaz, in Russian). This French-sounding name was given in honor of a Cossack victory over Napoleonic troops.

Over there, the Soviet remains rub shoulders with dilapidated dwellings. However, despite the poverty, the population stands out for its unwavering support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In this episode of the “L’Heure du Monde” podcast, Elizaveta Chugunova and Andrey Kazantsev recount the resignation of Russians in the face of very difficult living conditions. And return to their work as independent journalists in a country where the central power seeks to control everything. After the authorities took control of their media, they decided to flee Russia.

An episode produced by Adèle Ponticelli, directed by Florentin Baume and presented by Morgane Tual. Translation: Nikita Mouravieff.

Learn more about the war seen from Russia:

• Elizaveta Chugunova and Andrey Kazantsev report. Forgotten by Moscow, loyal to Putin: Fère-Champenoise, Russian-style fatalism
• Analysis. Russia: How the Kremlin made schools, from early grades to university, a ground for indoctrination
• Letter from Russia. “1984”, by George Orwell, erected as an instrument of resistance and opposition in Russia
• Investigation. The Russian myth of the Great Patriotic War and its manipulations
• Report. “It’s not emigration, it’s flight”: the exile of Vladislav, Yulia, Andrei, middle-class Russians