Morning Paranoia | English

Epizodes

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  From the KGB with Love: How to Forge the Perfect Baltic Citizen 17.08.2026 15min

  What does the perfect Baltic citizen look like?According to the logic of modern counterintelligence: trustno one, avoid suspicious conversations, don’t ask uncomfortable questions, don’t organize with others — and perhaps don’t insist too loudly on your rights. After all, anyone could potentially be a spy.In Episode 4 of Morning Paranoia, Olga Karach looks at howsurprisingly familiar Soviet counterintelligence habits can appear in today’s Baltic security thinking — from Stierlitz and the old KGB principle that “a chatterbox is a spy’s best friend” to modern warnings about potential recruitment.The joke becomes less funny when real journalists andactivists in exile are targeted with Pegasus spyware — and the question of who was actually spying on them remains unanswered.A story about old Soviet reflexes, new European realities,real spies, imaginary spies — and the art of forging the perfect citizen.This podcast was made possible thanks to the ElevenLabs Impact Program and our strategic partnership. We are incredibly grateful to ElevenLabs for their support.Support Our House and help us continue producing MorningParanoia in 11 languages:https://ndbelarus.com/donate-support-with-money/
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  The War on Socks: Europe’s New Security Architecture 11.08.2026 12min

  In the third episode of Morning Paranoia, we examine how sanctions and security policies have gradually turned into a battle against sandwiches, potatoes, socks, cosmetics, and old vinyl records.Yet while governments carefully inspect travellers’ luggage, official statistics point to a very different reality: a sharp rise in trade through Central Asian countries, potentially indicating sanctions circumvention on a massive scale.Where does the real dividing line lie today between symbolic politics and economic reality?Support our podcastListen, share our episodes, and tell your friends about the podcast.This podcast was made possible thanks to the ElevenLabs Impact Program and our strategic partnership. We are incredibly grateful to ElevenLabs for their support.If you enjoy Morning Paranoia and would like to help us produce new episodes every week in multiple languages, we would be grateful for any support:https://ndbelarus.com/donate-support-with-money/Thank you for listening.
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  The Real Spies Are Never Suspects 31.07.2026 9min

  While Lukashenko sends the army to rescue the harvest afterhis own mass mobilization of farm workers, authorities in Khabarovsk expose "New Zealand spies," and an Estonian woman is sentenced to three years in prison for trying to take seven bottles of wine to Russia.But the most intriguing questions arise in Lithuania.Why are conscientious objectors, journalists, human rightsdefenders, teachers, and trade union activists labeled threats to national security simply because they might theoretically be recruited one day? And why, at the same time, does Andrei Shimanovich—the son-in-law of Viktar Sheiman, oneof Alexander Lukashenko's closest and most notorious associates, and one of the creators of the well-known spyware service mSpy—continue to obtain and renew aLithuanian residence permit without difficulty?In the second episode of Morning Paranoia, VolhaKarach takes an ironic look at the week's most absurd stories and shows how genuine security threats are often overshadowed by political theater and spy hysteria.Written, produced, and hosted by Olga Karach.This podcast is created entirely by the team of theinternational human rights organization Our House. It is produced using artificial intelligence technologies and ElevenLabs voice solutions, allowing us to release Morning Paranoia simultaneously in multiple languages.If you enjoy this podcast, please support our work. Yourcontribution helps us continue producing independent journalism and making it accessible to audiences around the world.Learn more about our work and how to support us:https://ndbelarus.com/donate-support-with-money/See you next Friday.
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  When Democracies Speak the Language of Authoritarianism 24.07.2026 9min

  Why is military service increasingly being used as a form of punishment? Why are more and more European countries debating nuclear deterrence? And what does the fate of a Belarusian officer sentenced to 14 years in prison for his pacifist beliefs tell us about today's Europe?In this episode of Morning Paranoia, we discuss authoritarian language, nuclear escalation, human rights and political developments that often go unnoticed. We also explore why a Polish beaver unexpectedly became a social media sensation.Support our workMorning Paranoia is produced by the international human rights organization Our House.This podcast was made possible thanks to the ElevenLabs Impact Program and our strategic partnership. We are incredibly grateful to ElevenLabs for their support.If you enjoy this podcast and would like to help us continue producing multilingual episodes, we would greatly appreciate your support.🌐 Website: https://ndbelarus.com❤️ Donate: https://ndbelarus.com/donate-support-with-money/Thank you for listening!