For over 150 years, China and Russia have danced between friendship and betrayal. Behind the smiles and summits lies a darker history—of lost land, broken promises, and quiet humiliation. This episode traces how Russia took over a million square kilometers from a weakened Qing Empire, and how that legacy still shapes today’s uneasy alliance. From Muravyov’s cunning diplomacy to Putin’s eastern pivot, we explore why Russia remembers every gain, while China chooses to forget. As Xi and Putin declare “limitless friendship,” we ask: is history really behind them—or quietly waiting to return?
