Especially after Putin´s war against Ukraine - unfortunately too late, for reasons that will be later explained - there are more and more journalistic investigations and reports about Putin´s wealth, influence and his extended network of trustworthy pawns spread all over the world. Russian studies are back in fashion and the voices of Russian-speaking experts are once again heard. Too late, as Putin´s work in undermining democracy started many years ago, from the years of his career as KGB operative in Dresden.
British journalist Catherine Belton, former FT Moscow correspondent between 2007 and 2013, exposed with an acribic precision ´how the KGB took back Russia and then took on the West´. Her book, Putin´s People offers all the background one needs to know about how Russia operates now, and how his main puppeteer manipulates everythin, following the old rules of KGB. Through the network of politicians and business associates in the West - Germany may know a bit more about it, from the times of the Red Army Faction at least, encouraged and trained with the KGB support - and a trustworth super rich new class, Putin maintained his power and priviledges, becoming a power gold digger with expensive villas and yachts, he couldn´t have dream about in his humble childhood.
Aimed both at the large readership, but also political scientists and journalists relatively new in the field, lacking the steady background of the changes Russia went through in the last decade, in terms of elites´ change and Putin´s role in anti-democratic turns in Europe and abroad. A warning sign, well documented about how important is to not forget history and especially not underestimate someone like Putin.
Rating: 5 stars
