Georgy Birger

He/him. Not an Eastern Europe Expert. More culture watch than Russia watch (I'd like to do this for a living but I don't know how).

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

I'm launching the Playing Civilization Patreon today, a space for research on 21st-century culture wars and Russia's role in them. I examine texts, speeches, historical narratives, and propaganda that shape modern conflict. Read the Q&A and join https://t.co/7SJDajxFhA

[Ilya Matveev @IlyaMatveev_]

My latest at the Moscow Times

Russia’s Billionaires Face a Dilemma – Putin Threatens and Protects Their Wealth https://t.co/1kbdHz37Se

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

While everyone is forced to write their “Putin is done” piece, I’ve got to applaud the inventiveness of Forbes’ Melik Kaylan: “Putin’s days are numbered…likely to be toppled within three years.” Well, 1095 is certainly a number—just like 15, 1312 or 1 (the loneliest number).

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

Neoliberalism is woke. Not a meme—Putin’s actual framing. But also a meme. New piece on how a buzzword got repurposed into ideology: https://t.co/r2zvCIRTnn

[Anton Barbashin @ABarbashin]

I think the entire Russian oppo PACE platform can be assured that they do not represent Russians in exile and people who oppose the war in and out of Russia.
Total disgust is the lightest word I can use here

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

Also contains a bonus: my official response to being branded a "foreign agent" by the Russian state. https://t.co/Dg2nfdvkiO

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

Wrote about one of Russia's most effective soft‑power tools: exploiting anti‑Americanism not just in the Global South but also among some Europeans, including progressives, who mix it with kitschy exoticization of Russia and don't notice Kremlin narratives being smuggled in.⬇️

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

@artemtam А куда переслать?

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

They might use different covers and make it look real by mapping your bio and connections, but the end goal is to get you on Zoom, send a malware link in the chat. So basically, don’t join sketchy Zoom calls and if you have to, don not click any links in Zoom chat.

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

Expose of a new Russian security service tactic targeting opposition journalists and experts: I got a very convincing email from a “StateSec team” using an ex‑colleague’s name asking for a consultation. I didn’t bite, but I’m sure some did. https://t.co/GWMmUElrFn

[Artem Tamoian @artemtam]

В марте хакеры ФСБ провели рассылку писем со ссылкой, переход по которой мог привести к полной компрометации устройства.

Я был первый, кто обратил внимание на эти письма, проанализировал их, а также отобрал у ФСБ их домен.

Тред с подробностями и советами:

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

I guess the Hail Mary comes from Dugin’s growing discontent with MAGA that’s been brewing for a while. He’s issuing a rallying cry to preserve the thin balance I described in this essay. There’s still nothing new to add to it. https://t.co/ahi59ZrpEN

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

Re Dugin’s rant: people misread it as a breakdown that’ll scare off the Western far right. It’s not. It might be a Hail Mary, but fully in line with his (Western‑rooted) Traditionalism — and they seem to love it.

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

@sashameetsrus Why are you like this?

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

@Pravonapadenie Одно из самых неожиданных открытий из книжки Бассина — что Гумилев дружил с Бородаем. Через отца последнего, но все равно сложно их в одну эпоху поместить, зато связать с антисемитизмом и рунами — легко)

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

There's also a Russian version now https://t.co/fNZjhwIx0E

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

My essay on Island Russia has been reworked in a more policy‑paper-ish manner at one of my favorite outlets, Posle. As Trump’s “peace deal” looms, it’s a reminder of what a “peaceful” Russian geopolitical vision actually is. Spoiler: it's not that peaceful.https://t.co/ynxLsnwAtQ

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

@nntaleb @k_sonin A small note: there’s no data showing that the validity of an argument increases with every r-word you cram into it. On the contrary, there might even be a negative correlation, though that would need actual research.

In other words, jfc, wtf is wrong with you.

[Anton Barbashin @ABarbashin]

Russian far right nationalists and US techno-optimists found out that they share a lot of ideas and have a lot in common. What could go wrong?
https://t.co/r7nLzIKOjI

[Ilya Matveev @IlyaMatveev_]

Now add strict censorship & information monopoly, fear of reprisals and fear of replying honestly - that’s how you arrive at 70-80% support for Putin and the war according to polls.

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of reviews of Slow Horses season 5 out there, but only one (mine) got the reviewer (me) tried by the Russian state, and I proudly accept this achievement.

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

The only way to fight this is not to compromise (as in, “I guess ICE can do their raids if no more Americans get killed”). In Russia, it took 20 years; Trump has learned from that experience and is doing a speedrun. Read more on enshiftification here: https://t.co/GZTzwqzKxV

[Georgy Birger @GeorgeBirger]

What Trump is doing by doubling down on ICE’s excessive use of force and attacking the free press is an enshiftification of the state. The goal is to push the extremes so far that the Overton window shifts—and deeply authoritarian policies begin to look acceptable.