Book Review
Putin: In depth study gets to the heart of what motivates Russia’s ruthless president
Philip Short’s impressive biography of the Russian leader examines Putin from a Russian rather than western perspective and helps to explain, if not condone, his motives and actions
When the music of Swan Lake wafted out from Soviet state radio, it was a bad omen. At least it was if you were leader of the Soviet Union, as Mikhail Gorbachev discovered when he took a few days’ break and a coup was launched in August 1991. Although the putschists were put down, Gorbachev was gone a few months later, ushering in the chaotic rule of Boris Yeltsin.
There followed Russia’s “wild west” years ...