About this Event
Since February 2022, a broad consensus has formed around the idea that Vladimir Putin did not expect Ukrainians to mount serious resistance to Russia’s attempt to take over their country. Michael Wasiura’s documentary challenges that assumption. Drawing from years of direct exposure to Kremlin-controlled media, the film offers one of the most complete and comprehensive snapshots of Russian propaganda in the years leading up to the full-scale invasion, during its opening phase, and in the immediate aftermath.
From 2018 to 2022, Wasiura worked as a token in-studio “liberal” foil on a range of Kremlin-controlled domestic talk shows, witnessing firsthand how Russian state television prepared its audience for war, justified aggression, and shaped public perception of Ukraine, the West, and Russia’s own role in history. He left Russia on the evening of February 23, 2022 — approximately six hours before the start of Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
The film stands as one of the most important documentary records of that time and place: not only a study of propaganda, but a rare insider’s view into the machinery of televised manipulation at the precise moment when rhetoric became war. The screening will include an intermission at the 41-minute mark, allowing any audience member to make a graceful exit. For those who stay through the end, a discussion with the director will follow.
At each of our events you can expect a warm atmosphere, an ability to network as well as complimentary refreshments.
RSVP is recommended, and donations welcomed.
Each talk is broadcasted live from our auditorium when it starts at 6:00pm EST on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567824218964
Michael Wasiura is an editor with The Insider, an independent investigative outlet focused on Russia and the post-Soviet region. From 2022 to 2024, he served as Newsweek’s on-the-ground correspondent in Ukraine, reporting extensively from the front lines of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Originally from Michigan, Wasiura has spent over fifteen years living and working across the post-Soviet space, including in Georgia, Ukraine, and Russia. His experience spans a range of roles—from Peace Corps volunteer and English teacher to print journalist and television commentator—giving him a nuanced understanding of the region’s political, social, and cultural dynamics. He is currently completing his book, Putin, All Too Putin, an analytical memoir that explores the Kremlin’s sophisticated use of disinformation as a tool of domestic control and international influence.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Free Peoples of Russia House, 301 Maryland Avenue Northeast, Washington, United States
USD 0.00
