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This week, Vesti Nedeli contrasted the two warring nations: Russia endures mere discomfort, from gas lines to rationing to rising prices, while life in Ukraine becomes unsustainable, with empty Patriot batteries, draft riots in Lviv, and Russian missiles landing at will. The message to Russian viewers is unmistakable: "we are taking some blows now, but time is on our side." That bet on endurance runs through nearly every story the Kremlin broadcast this week, from Putin's take-charge performance on the fuel crisis to gleeful coverage of dissension at the NATO summit. Even the announcement of a lavish new War and Peace miniseries, timed for release in 2028, reveals how long Moscow thinks this war could last. But how real is the confidence?

In this episode, Andy Kuchins and Chris Monday unpack how Vladimir Putin and Russian elites understand the world, and how they seek to influence it.

Have feedback? Email us at RussiaDecoded@cftni.org.