When we hear about Russia and we hear about it pretty often, the news usually isn't good.

If you were to Google the country on the day this episode was released, for example, you'd see a story on the jail this episode was released for example,

you'd see a story on the jailing of political dissident Alexi Navalny,

and a new deployment of Russian forces in Syria's civil war.

At this point, we're used to hearing about this kind of stuff when it comes to Russia.

Hacking, military muscle, support for authoritarian regimes the whole world over.

But what's the story behind that reputation?

Their power isn't derived from their economy.

Russia's GDP is smaller than Italy's, for example.

So how is it able to exert such a steady influence

in global events?

And why does it pursue the strategies that it does?

I'm Gabriel Sierra, and this is why it matters.

Today, Russia. For the 8th time Russia has vetoed a proposed UN Security Council resolution regarding the

horrors and atrocities going on in Syria over this six-year-plus war.

In other news, Russia has reportedly concluded the delivery of a second S-400 missile system

to China.

It turns out more US agencies were targeted by the suspected Russian hack.

The Department of Homeland Security was hit,

and the New York Times says so were parts of the Defense Department.

Russians intended to meddle, and they meddled.

I think President Putin represents a real threat to the

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