Their Brothers Went to War: A Review of the Russian Anti-War Podcast <em>Sisters</em>

Сёстры (Sisters) is the special 2023 season of the podcast Привет, ты иноагент (Hello, You’re a Foreign Agent), created by independent journalists Sonya Groysman and Olya Churakova. This season examines the families of Russians whose relatives participated in the war against Ukraine, focusing particularly on the personal testimonies of Russian women whose brothers have been involved in the conflict. It raises pressing questions: How does the choice to go to war affect both the soldiers and their loved ones? What does it mean to oppose the war while someone close to you is fighting? And how do combat experiences transform individuals, influencing what awaits them when they return? Through a series of interviews and reflective commentary, the podcast weaves together a rich tapestry of perspectives on the military, seen through the eyes of women who stand against the war. In doing so, it offers Russian-speaking listeners a space to either recognize their own experiences in these narratives or to gain first-hand insight into the emotional toll of having a loved one engaged in a conflict they vehemently reject.