Shaun Walker

And of course, now under Putin, there is a really big focus on finding patriotic stories on nationalist myth-making. And the illegals are perfect for this. These people who sacrificed everything. They lived abroad for years. They gave everything for the motherland. And that's now their position in Russian society. So they came back. They were given a very nice apartment.

And of course, now under Putin, there is a really big focus on finding patriotic stories on nationalist myth-making. And the illegals are perfect for this. These people who sacrificed everything. They lived abroad for years. They gave everything for the motherland. And that's now their position in Russian society. So they came back. They were given a very nice apartment.

And of course, now under Putin, there is a really big focus on finding patriotic stories on nationalist myth-making. And the illegals are perfect for this. These people who sacrificed everything. They lived abroad for years. They gave everything for the motherland. And that's now their position in Russian society. So they came back. They were given a very nice apartment.

They were both given quite lucrative jobs in state controlled companies. They met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin and sang songs together. And then, you know, they're introduced on chat shows as legendary spies and they will give the talking points. Well, more Andrei actually. Andrei will often be on chat shows too.

They were both given quite lucrative jobs in state controlled companies. They met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin and sang songs together. And then, you know, they're introduced on chat shows as legendary spies and they will give the talking points. Well, more Andrei actually. Andrei will often be on chat shows too.

They were both given quite lucrative jobs in state controlled companies. They met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin and sang songs together. And then, you know, they're introduced on chat shows as legendary spies and they will give the talking points. Well, more Andrei actually. Andrei will often be on chat shows too.

giving the talking points of the day about Russia's war in Ukraine or how the evil West is trying to bring down Moscow. So they fit quite nicely into this system. What they say to each other in their quieter moments in the evenings, I don't know.

giving the talking points of the day about Russia's war in Ukraine or how the evil West is trying to bring down Moscow. So they fit quite nicely into this system. What they say to each other in their quieter moments in the evenings, I don't know.

giving the talking points of the day about Russia's war in Ukraine or how the evil West is trying to bring down Moscow. So they fit quite nicely into this system. What they say to each other in their quieter moments in the evenings, I don't know.

So I think it was very difficult for them, particularly, I think, Alex, the younger son. They had both found ways to live outside Russia, but they were struggling with getting visas. You know, I know Alex had been applying to various schools in Europe and then had not been able to get visas. And I think with their parents, it was not an easy conversation.

So I think it was very difficult for them, particularly, I think, Alex, the younger son. They had both found ways to live outside Russia, but they were struggling with getting visas. You know, I know Alex had been applying to various schools in Europe and then had not been able to get visas. And I think with their parents, it was not an easy conversation.

So I think it was very difficult for them, particularly, I think, Alex, the younger son. They had both found ways to live outside Russia, but they were struggling with getting visas. You know, I know Alex had been applying to various schools in Europe and then had not been able to get visas. And I think with their parents, it was not an easy conversation.

But they somehow felt they'd had a loving childhood. They felt their parents had been very good to them in many ways. And they tried to find a way, I think, to sidestep this big deception. And I guess there are ways in which With all of these families, and it was the same talking to Peter Herman, the guy whose father tried to recruit him.

But they somehow felt they'd had a loving childhood. They felt their parents had been very good to them in many ways. And they tried to find a way, I think, to sidestep this big deception. And I guess there are ways in which With all of these families, and it was the same talking to Peter Herman, the guy whose father tried to recruit him.

But they somehow felt they'd had a loving childhood. They felt their parents had been very good to them in many ways. And they tried to find a way, I think, to sidestep this big deception. And I guess there are ways in which With all of these families, and it was the same talking to Peter Herman, the guy whose father tried to recruit him.

In many ways, the dilemmas these kids face and these families face are similar to a lot of families. There might be a secret affair or a secret past history that parents don't want to talk about. You have the dilemmas of immigrant parents coming to a new country and, you know, they want their children to integrate, but they also don't want to lose them to the new culture.

In many ways, the dilemmas these kids face and these families face are similar to a lot of families. There might be a secret affair or a secret past history that parents don't want to talk about. You have the dilemmas of immigrant parents coming to a new country and, you know, they want their children to integrate, but they also don't want to lose them to the new culture.

In many ways, the dilemmas these kids face and these families face are similar to a lot of families. There might be a secret affair or a secret past history that parents don't want to talk about. You have the dilemmas of immigrant parents coming to a new country and, you know, they want their children to integrate, but they also don't want to lose them to the new culture.

And illegals had all these same dilemmas, but they were just heightened 10 times over by this kind of extraordinary secret that they had a second life as Soviet citizens.

And illegals had all these same dilemmas, but they were just heightened 10 times over by this kind of extraordinary secret that they had a second life as Soviet citizens.