Russland – Vår dystre nåtid Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld:

t is not always easy to understand what is happening in our largest neighboring country. Yet, that is precisely why it is important that we try.
And there is arguably no one better equipped to explain the connection between history and the present day than Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld.

Over decades as an NRK foreign correspondent, Steinfeld has gained an intimate understanding of Russia. He has witnessed events up close—from the Soviet era and the collapse of the Union to today’s geopolitical drama and the war in Ukraine.

During the dramatic attempted coup of 1991, Steinfeld’s interview with Boris Yeltsin was broadcast worldwide—even Gorbachev listened in secretly from his captivity in Crimea.

He has stood face-to-face with power and felt the pressure it exerts—such as when Russian security forces stopped him in Ingushetia and erased large portions of his footage.
Yet, he has always maintained his independent voice—though it is hard to say whether this is because of, or in spite of, his characteristic Bergen tenacity and twinkle in his eye.

This promises to be an evening covering the big picture and high-level politics—but also the small, human stories, told with the genuine joy of storytelling that is the hallmark of Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld.

Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld is one of Norway’s most distinguished journalists and the recipient of numerous awards for his work. He has written sixteen books on the history, politics, and society of Eastern Europe and is the only person in NRK’s history to have been appointed foreign correspondent four times. He holds a *cand.philol.* degree and has studied at universities in Oxford and Moscow.