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The Lesley Riddoch Podcast
Trailer
Bonus
Episode 700
Season 1
The currency of courage
In this episode we focus entirely on Ukraine. The escalation of Russian actions, the reaction of the EU to the crisis, and whether the UK's rhetoric is matched by action.
Lesley reflects on the experience of Finland's relationship with the former Soviet Union , and now Russia, post the invasions in the aftermath of the Winter War. Will Putin risk another Afghanistan if dragged into an unexpected war of attrition or will he look for a "Finlandisation" settlement?
Meanwhile the EU is taking unprecedented measures to support Ukraine militarily, welcome refugees, and is even considering fast tracking them into full membership. The UK ,while working with the EU,USA and Canada,on excluding Russian banks from SWIFT, seems stronger on rhetoric and self promoting visuals than assistance to Ukrainians fleeing the war.
We also evaluate what impact if any the blows to the Russian economy, through the extension of sanctions, will have on Putin's policies.
The conflict has also revealed significant racism not only in terms of the treatment of black and Asian refugees trying to escape Ukraine but also in the coverage of the conflict by major news outlets.
The Tory Party and its relationship with Russian donors with strong links to the Putin regime has been thrown into sharp relief yet again by recent events. Will there be a clean up of the sewer of Russian influence on UK politics?
Alex Salmond has suspended his show on Russia Today. RT is currently under investigation by OFCOM over its coverage of the Ukraine invasion. Lesley believes suspension isn't enough, quitting RT is the only moral decision to make.
Bella Caledonia has just published an anthology containing "some of the best writing from Scotland in the last fourteen years combining new and established writers. It includes some classic contributions from 2014 that went viral at the time of the independence referendum as well as reflecting the themes and obsessions that have been our focus since then."
It's genuinely well worth the read, and the contributions are as relevant now as they were then.
https://leamingtonbooks.com/bella-caledonia
★ Support this podcast ★
Lesley reflects on the experience of Finland's relationship with the former Soviet Union , and now Russia, post the invasions in the aftermath of the Winter War. Will Putin risk another Afghanistan if dragged into an unexpected war of attrition or will he look for a "Finlandisation" settlement?
Meanwhile the EU is taking unprecedented measures to support Ukraine militarily, welcome refugees, and is even considering fast tracking them into full membership. The UK ,while working with the EU,USA and Canada,on excluding Russian banks from SWIFT, seems stronger on rhetoric and self promoting visuals than assistance to Ukrainians fleeing the war.
We also evaluate what impact if any the blows to the Russian economy, through the extension of sanctions, will have on Putin's policies.
The conflict has also revealed significant racism not only in terms of the treatment of black and Asian refugees trying to escape Ukraine but also in the coverage of the conflict by major news outlets.
The Tory Party and its relationship with Russian donors with strong links to the Putin regime has been thrown into sharp relief yet again by recent events. Will there be a clean up of the sewer of Russian influence on UK politics?
Alex Salmond has suspended his show on Russia Today. RT is currently under investigation by OFCOM over its coverage of the Ukraine invasion. Lesley believes suspension isn't enough, quitting RT is the only moral decision to make.
Bella Caledonia has just published an anthology containing "some of the best writing from Scotland in the last fourteen years combining new and established writers. It includes some classic contributions from 2014 that went viral at the time of the independence referendum as well as reflecting the themes and obsessions that have been our focus since then."
It's genuinely well worth the read, and the contributions are as relevant now as they were then.
https://leamingtonbooks.com/bella-caledonia