On August 7th 2008, Russian armed forces invaded two regions in the north of Georgia. The war that ensued only lasted 5 days, but the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia remain occupied.

Nine years later, Vladimir Putin is still at the helm of Russia, and many countries consider him an existential threat. 

In the years since, Russia has invaded Ukraine and allegedly hacked the 2016 U.S. election.

To hear more on the 2008 gunshot heard across Eurasia, we’re joined by Molly McKew who served as an adviser to Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili from 2009 to 2013.