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The invention of Russia: A tale of two Ivans

Misha Glenny on early Moscow before the Russian Empire

Countries look so cohesive on the map - sturdy borders, familiar shapes. Don't be misled. They didn't always look like this. This is the story of Russia, biggest contiguous country on the planet, told from the time when it was still very small.

With contributions across the series from Janet Hartley, author of a history of the Volga; Rhodric Braithwaite, former ambassador to Moscow; historian and sociologist, Mischa Gabowitsch; Anthony Beevor; Natalia Antelava; Kateryna Khinkulova; Dominic Lieven; Olesya Khromeychuk; and James Hill of the New York Times.

Producer: Miles Warde

(Photo: View of the Moskva River and the Moscow Kremlin. Credit: Vlad Karkov/Getty Images)

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Sun 19 Feb 2023 11:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Wed 15 Feb 2023 02:32GMT
  • Wed 15 Feb 2023 09:32GMT
  • Wed 15 Feb 2023 20:06GMT
  • Wed 15 Feb 2023 21:06GMT
  • Sun 19 Feb 2023 11:32GMT

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