Video podcast
Åsne Seierstad: "Russia is in a State of Non-Peace"
"Russia today is a state of 'Non-Peace'—a situation where the word 'war' is forbidden, but its presence is expanding every day in the graveyards of the small villages."
In this episode of the Barents Observer’s YouTube channel, host Farida Kurbangaleeva sits down with the world-renowned Norwegian author and journalist Åsne Seierstad.
Åsne discusses her recent travels to Russia for her book "Ufred" (Non-Peace), providing a rare and chilling look at a country divided between the normalcy of big-city life and the growing cemeteries of the provinces. From her 1990s meetings with Chechen leaders to her recent investigations into the brutal upbringing of Wagner Group defectors, Åsne explores the deep-rooted culture of violence and the fragile hope for a democratic future.
Key topics discussed:
The Concept of "Ufred": Why the Norwegian word for "non-peace" is the only way to describe the current state of Russia.
The Visibility of War: How the war is hidden in Moscow’s restaurants but overflowing in village graveyards.
The Making of a Fighter: Åsne’s journey to Tomsk to meet the family of a Wagner soldier and understand the cycle of domestic and state violence.
Meetings with Leaders: Reflections on her time with Dzhokhar Dudayev and her tense confrontation with Ramzan Kadyrov.
The Future of Russia: Can a new generation break free from the propaganda and the "learned indifference" of the past?
