Alexei
Appearances
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
Hi, it's Alexei here. There will be a brand new series very soon, do keep an eye out for it. But while you're waiting, I wanted to tell you about a story I've been working on for our other investigative show, The Slow Newscast.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
I've seen photographs from the scene. They show Solvita's office covered in shattered glass. The walls are blackened with smoke. This was no accident. Someone had targeted her office, her museum.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
Along with my producer Gary, I've been looking into the story of an unusual arson attack carried out against a small Latvian museum, and what it reveals about the dark world of Russian secret agents. Here's a small snippet from the episode. It's called Rogue Russia, Agents of Mayhem.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
The Russian occupation of Latvia was brutal. Russian troops only left in 1994 and memories are still fresh. The museum was set up to teach the public about exactly this and the 50 years when the country was occupied. So the Molotov cocktail thrown into Solvita's office wasn't just a random display of arson. It was a political act.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
In a gesture of defiance, Solvita welcomes in visitors.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
The firebomb at the museum was shocking. If it hadn't been for the modern fire prevention system, it might have burnt down the whole building. But to be honest, it's still not a huge story. A local TV station reported on it, but unsurprisingly, the news didn't travel. Windows were patched up. Solvita's office was repainted. Life went on. That's if you look at it in isolation.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
But this wasn't an isolated attack. To listen to the full episode, search for the Slow Newscast. If you're a Tortoise Plus subscriber or a Tortoise member, you get ad-free and early access to the Slow Newscast episodes before anyone else. Be the first to hear our brilliant weekly narrative investigations only on the Slow Newscast.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
It's the middle of the night in the Latvian capital, Riga. Solvita Viba is woken by a phone call. The person on the other end has some alarming news. It's about the Museum of Occupation, a museum that Solvita runs. It's one of Latvia's most famous institutions. To many in the country, the museum is a symbol of resistance to the Soviet Union and to the Nazis.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
And now, Solvita is being told, come quickly, there's trouble.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
It's a cold February night last year, but Solvita makes her way to Riga's old town at once, to see for herself. Soon enough, she learns what took place.