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Putin: Prisoner of Power

By: Dasha Lisitsina, Russell Finch
Narrated by: Misha Glenny
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  • Summary

  • On New Year's Eve 1999, a young Vladimir Putin appeared on Russian TV screens "” awkward, self-conscious... and the new President. Two decades later, Putin is still in power, standing self-assured and at ease on the world stage. How did a once little known KGB bureaucrat become one of the most dominant figures of twenty first century politics?

    In this gripping narrative history, Misha Glenny, journalist and best-selling author of McMafia, tells the story of an unexpected and swift rise to power "” one full of political intrigue, backroom deals, courtroom battles and war.

    Insider Kremlin accounts and well-known journalists reveal how Putin was first chosen by Yeltsin and the Oligarchy and how he then went head to head with Russia's richest man. After Putin had consolidated power he needed to stay in power. The second half of the series tells the story of how he took over the media, Crimea and increased the powers of the KGB. Finally, Misha considers what Putin might do next.

    Produced by Dasha Lisitsina, Executive Producer Russell Finch.
    A Somethin' Else production for Audible Originals.

    This is an Audible Original Podcast. Free for members. You can download all7 episodes to your Library now.
    ©2019 Audible, Ltd. (P)2019 Audible, Ltd.
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Episodes
  • Ep. 1: Rise of the Oligarch

    Ep. 1: Rise of the Oligarch
    Aug 19 2019

    The seeds of Putin's rise to power lie in a slightly unusual place: 1990s Moscow where, after 70 years of communism, "gangster capitalism" arrived.

    Here we tell the story of how a young graduate student at The Institute of Controlled Sciences became one of the richest men in Russia and the Kremlin's Power Broke - Boris Berezovsky.
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    27 mins
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  • Ep. 2: "Operation Successor"

    Ep. 2: "Operation Successor"
    Aug 19 2019

    In 1998, a big financial crash hit Moscow. President Yeltsin’s popularity plummeted. Boris Berezovsky and Yeltsin’s family started the search for a successor. Why did they choose Putin and how did they mould Putin into a President the nation could get behind?
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    25 mins
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  • Ep. 3: The President vs. The Power Broker

    Ep. 3: The President vs. The Power Broker
    Aug 19 2019

    As soon as Putin became President, he started eliminating his immediate rivals. First, Putin went after the very man who helped anoint him - Boris Berezovsky. Along the way, he seized control of the TV stations.
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    24 mins
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Presidents & Heads of State
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What listeners say about Putin: Prisoner of Power

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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Andrew Inglis

great insight into Moscow

book tracks the past but leaves us concerned about Russia after 2024. what happens next?

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for GSDH

Very interesting insight into a complex individual

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the narration was excellent, the tempo perfect and found it to be very informative. highly recommended and I will be sharing without any doubt.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Anonymous User

s great insight into a weird man

narrator great. factually v. good. I learned a lot that I did not know. nice quiet bedtime listing

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Profile Image for Nadeem

I wish I could find more like this

I'm only 2 chapters in, but this is great. fascinating insight into a post soviet russia, the landscape that allowed putin to come to power, cant wait to finish and would love to hear more similar. If you like Dan Carlin you might like this. some great first hand accounts.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for d.quinn

intresting read

loved it, keep me intriged, enjoyed the flow of the book, very easy lisening to

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Duggan D.

classic Glenny

Really excited to see these on Audible, ecstatic that they are free. I could listen to this guy all day. McMafia is one of my all-time favorite books.

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Profile Image for Amazon Customer

Interesting listen

A very informative and interesting listen about the rise to power of Putin and the fall of some of those near to him.

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Profile Image for sam

Fabulous

thoroughly enjoyed this. shines a light on how powerful people realy do rule the world in case there was ever any doubt!

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Profile Image for Juan Fandino

Awesome

Really great and very instructional as to many details of Putins rise to power. Ihave started to recommend it already

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Profile Image for David John Yates / Simon Mark Yates

good but to get 5 stars I wanted more details,

The Putin story requires more details, too many gaps left. But still worth the listen

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