In this episode, Anya sits down with Dr. Federica Fasanotti of the Brookings Institution and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies to discuss Russian private military companies. These underground groups act as informal—and brutal—strategic players who covertly carry out Russia’s foreign policy aims. Despite their relative lack of mainstream media coverage, the geopolitical implications of PMC involvement worldwide are immensely consequential. This episode was produced—across 2 countries and 2 continents—by Anya Bégué.