<p>In this episode, we sit down with Russian-born author <strong>Yaroslav Barsukov</strong>, whose life and work are deeply intertwined with the political upheavals of modern Russia. Growing up in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia, Barsukov witnessed firsthand the rise of Vladimir Putin before immigrating to Vienna in 2005. From there, he observed as Russia&#39;s trajectory culminated in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.</p><p>We discuss Barsukov’s personal experiences with Russian propaganda, his insights into the manipulation of truth, and how his experience-informed writing tends to forecast dystopian reality in eerily accurate ways. </p><p><strong>About the Guest</strong></p><p>Yaroslav Barsukov, an author with a unique background in physics and software engineering, has emerged as a distinctive voice in the realm of speculative fiction. Born in Cold War-era Moscow and educated at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute and Austria&#39;s Vienna University of Technology, Barsukov initially pursued a career in software engineering. His entry into the literary world was serendipitous, stemming from his involvement in game development where he translated a companion tale to a game&#39;s mythology. This experience marked the beginning of his journey as a writer, and he started crafting short stories in English around 2014. Barsukov&#39;s work is celebrated for its innovative blend of fantasy and science fiction elements, diverging from the traditional hard-science SF model. His acclaimed novella &quot;Tower of Mud and Straw&quot; was shortlisted for the Nebula Award and received a Kirkus Star, demonstrating his prowess in weaving narratives that explore the human condition through a speculative lens. His stories, characterized by high-fantasy filigree and physics reminiscent of alchemy, have appeared in renowned publications such as Galaxy&#39;s Edge, Nature: Futures, and StarShipSofa. Barsukov&#39;s literary influences span from Russian maestros like Leo Tolstoy to American science fiction authors, shaping his unique storytelling style that transcends genre boundaries.</p><p><strong>PRODUCER&#39;S NOTE:</strong> This episode was recorded on February 28, 2024 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>PRODUCTION CREDITS</strong></p><p>Host: Michelle Daniel</p><p>Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig</p><p>Associate Producer: Basil Fedun</p><p>Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar</p><p>Background music by Ben Geraci, Denys Brodovskyi, Alex Productions. Closing Theme by Charlie Harper. Executive Producer &amp; Creator: Michelle Daniel www.msdaniel.com</p><p><br></p><p>#Russia #Ukraine #Putin #Disinformation #SpeculativeFiction #Propaganda #YaroslavBarsukov #TheSlavicConnexion</p>