Andrei Tsygankov - Canceling Russia and the Towers of the Kremlin | Ep 514, Feb 5, 2026 [EP514]

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Guest:

• Dr. Andrei Tsygankov

Topics:

• Defining the “Canceling Russia” phenomenon
• The “cancel Russia” lobby
• Containment shifts to coercive transformation
• Russian Orthodox Church as battleground
• Kremlin “towers” and civilizational logic

Episode 514 | Recorded: February 4, 2026

#CancelingRussia #RussianForeignPolicy #UkraineWar #StateCivilization #TowersOfTheKremlin #RussianOrthodoxChurch

Show Notes

This episode features political scientist Andrei Tsygankov on his new book Canceling Russia, the Western shift from “containment” to “coercive transformation,” and how the “towers of the Kremlin” shape Russian foreign policy. The discussion also examines the “state-civilization” concept, civilizational competition around Russia, and whether today’s “might makes right” climate could push Russia toward a more unilateral, jungle-rules approach.

Main Topics Addressed

• “Canceling Russia” as a mass-scale political and cultural campaign
• Western strategy shift: containment to coercive transformation
• The “cancel Russia lobby” and the role of think tanks
• Trump’s approach to Russia and Europe’s burden-sharing
• The Russian Orthodox Church as a geopolitical and information battleground
• How Russian foreign policy is made (the “towers of the Kremlin”)
• “State-civilization” and civilizational discourse
• Degradation of the international order into “law of the jungle”
• Whether Russia could adopt a more unilateral style

Key Questions Discussed

• How did “Canceling Russia” begin, and how is it sustained?
• How has canceling affected academia and scholarship, including the guest’s experience?
• What explains the West’s policy trajectory from containment to coercive transformation?
• When and why did the window for coexistence close, if it did?
• Who makes up the “cancel Russia lobby,” and how does it function?
• What role do think tanks play in shaping the agenda and narrative?
• How should Trump’s Russia policy be read, real shift or tactical adjustment?
• How does pressure on the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine serve wider aims, and what risks follow?
• How do “towers of the Kremlin” shape policy signals and red lines?
• In Ukraine, were Moscow’s red lines misread, dismissed, or judged irrational?
• What does “state-civilization” mean internally vs. externally?
• Is it compatible with Huntington-style civilizational blocs?
• Why has “international order” weakened into raw power politics?
• Could Russia evolve toward a more unilateral “might makes right” posture beyond Ukraine?

Referenced Articles & Sources

• Prof. Tsygankov’s recent books:
  • “Canceling” Russia (2026)
  • Russia’s Foreign Policy (2025)
• FIFA President Infantino added to Myrotvorets database (UNN)

Wrap-up

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