Putin's People

Catherine Belton traces Vladimir Putin’s rise to power in Russia. She shows how his KGB circle rose with him. She charts how the KGB regained sway. A new class of oligarchs, or rich power brokers, emerged. The group seized private firms and took charge of the economy. It diverted billions and silenced its foes. Belton also probes links between organised crime and state power.

This book draws on in-depth news reporting. It is for readers of Russian politics and world affairs. Belton spoke with key insiders for her account. She draws on her past work reporting from Moscow. The story spans Moscow, London, Switzerland and America under Trump. It shows how Russian wealth helped spread sway in Western politics. Belton asks how hopes for a new Russia failed. She looks at the effects at home and abroad.