Who would have ever thought there would be another Cold War, reheated like some stale borscht soup? But it’s happening. Growing up in missile-strewn West Germany and being deeply affected by my family’s WWII refugee stories stirred up my special interest in Russia. But I never moved beyond a melancholic admiration of Dr. Zhivago and Tchaikovsky.

Fast forward a couple of years and I found myself working for the Russian punk band Pussy Riot after they were released from prison camp. I also consulted for Mikhail Gorbachev and developed a close friendship with a top Russian diplomat. The icing on this rich cake was when I met Vladimir Putin. Drawing from my personal stories, I explore how this current Cold War is different and why our daily lives might change dramatically.

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