First: We’re entering a new phase of the war in Ukraine as Russia ramps up its attacks on civilians. Cue: pressure on the US to hit Russia harder. We’ll break down Biden’s big announcement this week banning Russian oil, the damage it could cause to Russia, and what it means for us here at home.  

Next up: We’ll speak to an expert about the other cyber weapons at Russia’s disposal - and what might drive Putin to create online chaos. 

ICYMI: If you’re wondering why yachts, private jets, luxury goods, and apartments are also caught in the crossfire of the financial war on Russia, we’ll break down who the Oligarchs are, and why they’re coming under fire. 

Then: We’ll break down the week’s other headlines – including a check-in on inflation and an update on the future of crypto in the United States.

Finally: What do WeWork, Theranos, and Uber have in common? Not a lot, but they all have dramatized TV shows chronicling their controversial rise in the tech world. We’ll ask a TV critic: why are we so obsessed with these shady stories? 


On this episode, you’ll hear from: 


Kristine Berzina, senior fellow and head of geopolitics at the Alliance for Securing Democracy


Nicole Perlroth, cybersecurity journalist, advisor to CISA, and author 


Kathryn VanArendonk, critic, Vulture


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Skimm'd by Alex Carr. Additional help from Sagine Corrielus and Hannah Parker. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie Mcafee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear.
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