The final episode of Putin’s Oil Heist, my 6-part limited series podcast, is now out. It’s been a great run. The series chronicles the demise of the Russian oil company Yukos, told through the eyes of its former chief financial officer, Bruce Misamore. Bruce relates his experiences fleeing Russia and fighting to save the company to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this year.

I had a lot of fun working with Bruce on the series, and I hope we get to dive even deeper into the story in the future. I’ve enjoyed the format of the narrated podcast, which is different from the radio-interview-style shows I’ve done before. It allowed for more storytelling, yet it still retained Bruce’s voice and perspective.

In the final episode, Bruce and I put the Yukos Affair in perspective and explore both the pain and the promise of the company’s history. Yukos was at the vanguard of a new business and economic environment that was emerging in Russia 20 years ago. Sadly, much of that was lost. Bruce shares other thoughts and insights about what’s happened in Russia since then, and why — including the role that state control of the media has played in keeping Putin in power.

While Bruce still thinks about what might have been, he’s also grateful for the opportunities Yukos afforded him, and he still relishes his time living in Russia.

To learn more, check out the whole series, or subscribe via your favorite podcast platform. And if your looking for other interesting podcasts — from sports to Enron to West Texas novel writing, you can find more here.