Freddie Sayers meets Marlene Laruelle. Listen to the podcast version here: https://shows.acast.com/lockdowntv-with-freddie-sayers/investigating-aleksandr-dugin-and-the-soul-of-russia Read the accompanying article: https://unherd.com/thepost/investigating-aleksandr-dugin/ Aleksandr Dugin, the ultra-nationalist Russian philosopher and erstwhile organiser of the National Bolshevik Party, has been referred to as ‘Putin’s brain’. Professor Marlene Laruelle, the world’s leading expert on Dugin, says his influence is no longer direct. Dugin stated mission is to preserve the "Russian soul" and expand the Eurasian empire in defiance of the West. Today, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and increasingly isolated global position feels like some of these visions have become a dark reality. Freddie Sayers sat down with Laruelle to seek a deeper understanding of the oft-quoted concept of the "Russian soul", what Dugin wants and how Putin might be able to help him get it. Follow UnHerd on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/unherd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unherd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unherd/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@unherdtv // TIMECODES // 00:00 - 01:30 - Introduction 01:30 - 06:01 - Who is Aleksandr Dugin, and is Russia fascist? 06:01 - 07:56 - Why does Russia have an autocratic tendency? 07:56 - 09:53 - Is Russia a European or Asian country? 09:53 - 12:56 - The role of Orthodox Christianity in shaping the soul of Russia 12:56 - 14:33 - Is Russia more collectivist than the West? 14:33 - 16:30 - What is specifically ‘Russian’ about the Russian soul? 16:30 - 22:02 - What is Aleksandr Dugin’s endgame for Russia? 22:02 - 25:06 - The role of rights in Dugin’s Russia 25:06 - 28:40 - Why is this such a difficult conversation to have? 28:40 - 32:48 - Is the war with Ukraine an historical turning point for Russia? 32:48 - 33:28 - Concluding thoughts #Russia #Ukraine #UnHerd