Mr. Putin: Operative in the KremlinVladimir Putin has his own idealized view of himself as CEO of “Russia, Inc.” But rather than leading a transparent public corporation, he runs a closed boardroom, not answerable to its stakeholders. Now that his corporation seems to be in crisis, with political protests marking Mr. Putin’s return to the presidency in 2012, will the CEO be held accountable for its failings? “For more than a dozen years—the equivalent of three American presidential terms— Vladimir Putin has presided over the largest nation on the planet, the second most powerful nuclear arsenal, and massive natural resources. Yet there is still debate about who he really is. Fiona Hill and Clifford Gaddy have gone a long way in answering that question, starting with the title, which makes a crucial point: even though ‘Mr. Putin’ was, in his upbringing and early career, a prototype of the Soviet man, he’s no longer ‘Comrade Putin.’ His aim is not the restoration of communism. He has made a deal with the capitalists who have thrived in Russia over the past two decades: they support him in the exercise of his political power, and he supports them in amassing their fortunes.”—from the foreword by Strobe Talbott |
Contents
Who is Mr Putin? | 1 |
Boris Yeltsin and the Time of Troubles | 16 |
The Statist | 34 |
The History Man | 63 |
The Survivalist | 78 |
The Outsider | 113 |
The Free Marketeer | 143 |
The Case Officer | 167 |
Chronology | 275 |
Notes on Translation Transliteration Nomenclature Style and Sources | 285 |
Abbreviations and Acronyms | 291 |
Acknowledgments | 294 |
Notes | 301 |
363 | |
379 | |
Back Flap | 391 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
activity associated authors became become Boris chapter Chechnya circle close Communist companies constitution created crisis critical deal December deputy described discussion Dmitry Dresden early East East German economic election example experience fact Federation figure forces foreign former head idea identities important individual institution interests interview issue January Kremlin later leader Leningrad March means Medvedev meeting Moscow moved noted official oligarchs operation Party period Petersburg planning played political position presented president presidential prime minister protests question reference reform regional relations reserves response restoration result role Russian September Sobchak Soviet specific strategic term things tion Union United University USSR Vladimir Putin wanted Yeltsin