Introducing: SAD OLIGARCH Season 2 - Behind the Bastards

Summary4 min read

Behind the Bastards: Introducing SAD OLIGARCH Season 2

Date: October 8, 2025
Host: Cool Zone Media in partnership with iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This special episode of Behind the Bastards serves as an introduction to Season 2 of the investigative series SAD OLIGARCH. The episode delves into the mysterious and often violent deaths of Russian oligarchs since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The host recounts peculiar post-invasion events, the pattern of suspicious oligarch fatalities, and the creation of the SAD OLIGARCH podcast as a means of documenting and understanding these deaths and their connection to Vladimir Putin’s regime.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Backdrop: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Date and Event: On February 24, 2022, Russian military forces invaded Ukraine with the aim of quickly seizing Kyiv.
Unexpected Outcome: Contrary to expectations, Ukrainians mounted significant resistance, forming militia groups and advocating for Western military support. (00:03)
- “His plan was to quickly sweep across the country and take the capital of Kiev. It didn't quite go like that, though. Ukrainians fought back, formed volunteer militia forces, backed up the military and campaigned for better weapons from the West.” [A, 00:08]

2. Ongoing Stalemate and Escalation

Three Years Into War: The conflict remains unresolved, with Russia “nowhere near Kyiv” and thousands dead—including many civilians due to targeted attacks on infrastructure. (00:23)
- “Thousands have died on the battlefield and civilian infrastructure is targeted every week. But still Ukraine is holding strong.” [A, 00:26]

3. Strange Developments Inside Russia

Sabotage and Organized Crime:
- The post-invasion period saw anti-Putin saboteurs operating inside Russia.
- The Kremlin increased reliance on criminal gangs and black-market arms trading to destabilize Europe. (00:31)
A Peculiar Pattern:
- Host notes a “vast number” of Russian oligarchs perishing under suspicious circumstances—many fell from windows or died violently.
- “I noticed that there was a vast number of Russian oligarchs who started falling out of windows. If it wasn't windows, it was some other clumsy or extremely violent death.” [A, 00:39]

4. Investigating Oligarch Deaths: Birth of SAD OLIGARCH

Collaboration with Sergey Slepchenko:
- The host teams up with Ukrainian journalist, Sergey Slepchenko, who affirms the strange pattern.
- Both were on the ground in Kyiv during the invasion’s early days and shared suspicions about the deaths. (00:49)
Uncovering the Pattern:
- Together, they document a surge in fatal “accidents, suicides and violent murders” among Kremlin-linked elites.
- The motivation: Even if the world doesn’t “particularly care if some Russian oligarch dies,” these deaths are a window into understanding the shifting dynamics and paranoia within Putin’s inner circle. (01:00)
- “To understand these weird Kremlin link deaths is to proper[ly] understand Putin and what he's up to. It was clear a pattern was emerging and we wanted to document it.” [A, 01:11]
Continuing Trend: Since Season 1, the suspicious deaths have accelerated—oligarchs and power brokers are “dropping like flies.” (01:17)

5. Season 2 Focus and Promise

Theme: Season 2 of SAD OLIGARCH will continue to explore and investigate the mysterious killings of Russia’s wealthy elite, seeking patterns, motives, and political implications.
- “Get ready for Sad Oligarch Season 2, an investigative podcast that focuses on the mysterious deaths of Russia's Kremlin linked power brokers.” [A, 01:21]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Invasion’s Fallout:
“But still Ukraine is holding strong. As is the case with any war, peculiar things began to happen after the invasion.” [A, 00:27]
On the Epidemic of Oligarch Deaths:
“What we found was an unprecedented number of accidents, suicides and violent murders sending oligarchs to their grave.” [A, 00:57]
On the Broader Implications:
“To understand these weird Kremlin link deaths is to proper[ly] understand Putin and what he's up to.” [A, 01:11]

Important Timestamps

00:03 — Recap of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
00:31 — Internal fallout: Sabotage, organized crime, and the rise of mysterious deaths
00:39 — Pattern emerges: Oligarchs dying under suspicious circumstances
00:49 — Collaboration with Sergey Slepchenko; onset of investigation
01:11 — The motivation for documenting these deaths
01:21 — Announcement of SAD OLIGARCH Season 2’s investigative focus

Summary

This episode sets the stage for the second season of SAD OLIGARCH, promising a deeper probe into the suspicious deaths among Russia’s elite since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The host emphasizes that understanding these incidents sheds light on Putin’s regime and the volatile power struggles within Russia’s upper echelons. The podcast invites listeners to a detailed journey through these modern “Kremlin-linked power broker” mysteries—all the while mixing investigative rigor with the typical dark fascination that defines Behind the Bastards.

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Transcript1 lines

[00:04]
A
On February 24, 2022, Russian forces crossed over the border into Ukraine with heavy weapons and armored vehicles. This was stage one of Putin's full scale invasion of Ukraine. His plan was to quickly sweep across the country and take the capital of Kiev. It didn't quite go like that, though. Ukrainians fought back, formed volunteer militia forces, backed up the military and campaigned for better weapons from the West. Three years into the war and Russia is still nowhere near Kyiv. Thousands have died on the battlefield and civilian infrastructure is targeted every week. But still Ukraine is holding strong. As is the case with any war, peculiar things began to happen after the invasion. Anti Putin Russian saboteurs got to work inside Russia. The Kremlin sought to disrupt Europe through criminal gangs and black market weapons. Dealing went into overdrive. Something that caught my eye in particular though, was a little bit stranger than all of this. I noticed that there was a vast number of Russian oligarchs who started falling out of windows. If it wasn't windows, it was some other clumsy or extremely violent death. So I got in touch with my friend and colleague, Sergey Slepchenko. He's a Ukrainian journalist who speaks both Russian and English fluently. We'd been on the ground working in Kiev the week of the invasion. He agreed, as did many other journalists at the time, that this was really weird. Together, we dug deeper into the deaths of these rich Russian power brokers. What we found was an unprecedented number of accidents, suicides and violent murders sending oligarchs to their grave. Now, we don't particularly care if some Russian oligarch dies, but to understand these weird Kremlin link deaths is to proper understand Putin and what he's up to. It was clear a pattern was emerging and we wanted to document it. And so Sad Oligarch was born. Since we finished season one, the millionaires and billionaires keep dropping like flies. So get ready for Sad Oligarch Season 2, an investigative podcast that focuses on the mysterious deaths of Russia's Kremlin linked power brokers. Listen to Sad oliGarch on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Sam.