Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Took on the West
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- Author：Catherine Belton
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Summary
Interference in American elections。 The sponsorship of extremist politics in Europe。 War in Ukraine。 In recent years， Vladimir Putin’s Russia has waged a concerted campaign to expand its influence and undermine Western institutions。 But how and why did all this come about， and who has orchestrated it？
In Putin’s People， the investigative journalist and former Moscow correspondent Catherine Belton reveals the untold story of how Vladimir Putin and the small group of KGB men surrounding him rose to power and looted their country。 Delving deep into the workings of Putin’s Kremlin， Belton accesses key inside players to reveal how Putin replaced the freewheeling tycoons of the Yeltsin era with a new generation of loyal oligarchs， who in turn subverted Russia’s economy and legal system and extended the Kremlin's reach into the United States and Europe。 The result is a chilling and revelatory exposé of the KGB’s revanche—a story that begins in the murk of the Soviet collapse， when networks of operatives were able to siphon billions of dollars out of state enterprises and move their spoils into the West。 Putin and his allies subsequently completed the agenda， reasserting Russian power while taking control of the economy for themselves， suppressing independent voices， and launching covert influence operations abroad。
Ranging from Moscow and London to Switzerland and Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach—and assembling a colorful cast of characters to match—Putin’s People is the definitive account of how hopes for the new Russia went astray， with stark consequences for its inhabitants and， increasingly， the world。
In Putin’s People， the investigative journalist and former Moscow correspondent Catherine Belton reveals the untold story of how Vladimir Putin and the small group of KGB men surrounding him rose to power and looted their country。 Delving deep into the workings of Putin’s Kremlin， Belton accesses key inside players to reveal how Putin replaced the freewheeling tycoons of the Yeltsin era with a new generation of loyal oligarchs， who in turn subverted Russia’s economy and legal system and extended the Kremlin's reach into the United States and Europe。 The result is a chilling and revelatory exposé of the KGB’s revanche—a story that begins in the murk of the Soviet collapse， when networks of operatives were able to siphon billions of dollars out of state enterprises and move their spoils into the West。 Putin and his allies subsequently completed the agenda， reasserting Russian power while taking control of the economy for themselves， suppressing independent voices， and launching covert influence operations abroad。
Ranging from Moscow and London to Switzerland and Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach—and assembling a colorful cast of characters to match—Putin’s People is the definitive account of how hopes for the new Russia went astray， with stark consequences for its inhabitants and， increasingly， the world。
Reviews
JonasB
，
A very clear story that gives an unique look to the inner workings of the regime that has held power in Russia for 20 years。 It discussed the historic origin of these developments， the key players and insight in their motives。 A must read for everyone who wants to have a better understanding of the world we live in today。
Harinder
，
What an absolutely riveting read， for anyone who is interested in contemporary Russian history， or Russian politics， or international politics for that matter。 Catherine Belton's sources are a number of people who were close to Putin or the events surrounding his rise to power。It is an extraordinary story， of course。 There is never a sense that Putin was predestined to be the powerful President of Russia he now is。 He was， for most of his early career， a KGB officer with a fairly nondescript lif What an absolutely riveting read， for anyone who is interested in contemporary Russian history， or Russian politics， or international politics for that matter。 Catherine Belton's sources are a number of people who were close to Putin or the events surrounding his rise to power。It is an extraordinary story， of course。 There is never a sense that Putin was predestined to be the powerful President of Russia he now is。 He was， for most of his early career， a KGB officer with a fairly nondescript life。 The way Belton tells it， the KGB had planned to control the post-Gorbachev rule of Russia， but were derailed by Yeltsin。 It had， however， positioned itself （and Putin was clever enough to position himself） to take over after Yeltsin。 So， with Putin's ascension to power， the KGB reasserted itself。 And what you see now is a Russia ruled by the old KGB but with Putin firmly at the helm。 The story then weaves its way around all the events we have become familiar with - Khodokorvsky's imprisonment， Crimea， Ukraine and - yes - Trump。 Belton's thesis is that many of Putin's actions can be traced down to KGB tradecraft。 But for all that， the book is limited by the sources she uses。 They have particular perspectives （and axes to grind）， and I was aware the entire time I was reading it that there are other ways the same story could be told （although I don't know how it might be made more benign）。 And at the end of it I have to say that Putin is as much a shadowy mystery as ever。 It seems to me to speak volumes that a real sense of who he is - his character， personality， intentions - are so elusive， even in a book such as this。 I'm certain that Belton - who seems a very accomplished journalist - was also aware of these limitations。 But for all that， she has written a powerful and thoroughly researched book and one that held my attention from start to finish。 Really， really good。 。。。more
Riet
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Een interessant boek， maar bij tijden onleesbaar door een teveel aan informatie。 Voor haar onderzoek naar de feiten verdient de schrijfster zeker 5 sterren。 Zij was journalist voor de Financial Times in Moskou en heeft ongetwijfeld veel verstand van internationale financien。 Dat is bij mij wat minder en daarom had ze voor mij veel stukken wat compacter kunnen schrijven。 Maar het geeft uiteindelijk wel een goed beeld van de toestand in Rusland na de val van Jeltsin。 Er waren al veel boeven， maar Een interessant boek， maar bij tijden onleesbaar door een teveel aan informatie。 Voor haar onderzoek naar de feiten verdient de schrijfster zeker 5 sterren。 Zij was journalist voor de Financial Times in Moskou en heeft ongetwijfeld veel verstand van internationale financien。 Dat is bij mij wat minder en daarom had ze voor mij veel stukken wat compacter kunnen schrijven。 Maar het geeft uiteindelijk wel een goed beeld van de toestand in Rusland na de val van Jeltsin。 Er waren al veel boeven， maar Putin spant toch echt de kroon。 Hoe lang houdt hij dit nog vol？ De relatie met Trump wordt ook uitgebreid beschreven。 Maar ook de rest van de wereld heeft boter op zijn hoofd: vooral Londen profiteert enorm van de financiele transacties vanuit Rusland。 Het boek is zeker demoeite waard， maar had voor mij een stuk korter gemogen。 。。。more
MargCal
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5 ☆ Finished reading … Putin's People: how the KGB took back Russia and then took on the West / Catherine Belton 。。。 02 March 2021ISBN: 9780007583034 … 624 pp。 incl。 Notes and IndexAt the end of this fact-filled book my thoughts are that the differences between Russia （and I'm also thinking China） and the West are fairly superficial。 In the West we have what appear to be free elections， opposition candidates are not routinely murdered or imprisoned when murder attempts fail。 The same is true of 5 ☆ Finished reading … Putin's People: how the KGB took back Russia and then took on the West / Catherine Belton 。。。 02 March 2021ISBN: 9780007583034 … 624 pp。 incl。 Notes and IndexAt the end of this fact-filled book my thoughts are that the differences between Russia （and I'm also thinking China） and the West are fairly superficial。 In the West we have what appear to be free elections， opposition candidates are not routinely murdered or imprisoned when murder attempts fail。 The same is true of business rivals。 But at the end of the day， money equals power and that is what rules。 The big players have to toe the line of the leading players （in the West） or the player in the capitalist dictatorships。 The 'little people' be damned in the pursuit of wealth and power。It's a pity the book wasn't written just a little bit later – after the recent attempted assassination and subsequent gaoling of Alexei Navalny in Russia and the 2020 election in the US。 Nevertheless， I was surprised that Trump's business dealings with Russians goes back to the 1990s。 It has to be understood that a wealthy Russian is a crook and in some way in the grip of， ultimately， Putin。As Russia opened up under perestroika becoming chaotic by the end of the Yeltsin era， the remaining KGB men， of whom Putin is one， had their underground networks thriving， waiting to seize back power return Russia to its， to them， perceived greatness。 The security system， the business system， the police and the courts， all are a marriage that operates like the mafia， siphoning funds from the state， off-shore into personal accounts through so many companies， bank accounts and money laundering schemes that they are literally impossible to follow。 All of this is at Putin's pleasure。 Run foul of Putin and the 'businessmen' can be prosecuted for the crimes they were permitted to commit only the day before。 These cash flows of black Russian money mean there are billions of dollars in personal and state slush funds held outside Russia。The other side of the coin of returning Russia to greatness was the destabilisation of the West。 It proved quite easy。 For example， a “lot” of money passed through the stock exchange。 Russians are quoted in the book saying that they quickly realised that money trumped principles， that they could money launder to their hearts content， they weren't going to be pulled up。 And people inside and outside Russia were bought， with money， gifts， becoming enmeshed in business deals， and putting people in situations where they were open to blackmail。 We've heard a lot about Trump and Russia， although in this book it's not clear how much was collusion and how much was gullibility on Trump's part – either way he suited the Russian purpose of stability。 That set me thinking about the UK political system。 It made me think of Nigel Farage in relation to Brexit。 He does rate a mention in the book， the FBI looking at him but he denied having anything to do with Russia。 Given how all the wealthy Russians in London， or Londongrad！， （and elsewhere） were/are promoting Russia's cause as informants if not outright KGB/FSB men， it leaves me still wondering。 But at one point in the book it says outright that the Conservative Party received， via a circuitous route and a Spaniard， “a surprising donation” of 400。000 GBP， no questions asked。 The Brexit vote was a happy outcome for Russia's aim to destabilise Europe。There is no mention of Australia。 However …。。 recently the was a current affairs programme on Australian TV ，https://www。abc。net。au/news/2021-02-1。。。 about a Russian motorcycle gang operating here with the stated aim of promoting Putin's Russia。 They're unpleasant （to put it mildly） men and not huge in number but – it was under cover of such a ragtag bunch of protesters that Russia prepared it's takeover of Crimea， annexing it from Ukraine。 Something to think about。This is not light reading。 The book is crammed with facts， there are no light moments。 I can scarcely think of anyone I know who would be likely to read it。 And yet people need to know this stuff。 In countries where we can vote in safety， we need to know how we are being manipulated for the benefit of those seeking power and wealth。Borrowed from my local library。 。。。more
Willem
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Very good read， easy to follow although not really as far as Russian names are concerned。 Wonder if the west knew all along what was going one but let the Russians walk in the trap themselves。 It is not easy to have to admit after 70 years that the political system you are using is not really working！！ I can imagine that they want revenge and the western capitalist with dollar signs in their eyes where very much willing to help them。 Feel sorry for the Russian people， have not been lucky with th Very good read， easy to follow although not really as far as Russian names are concerned。 Wonder if the west knew all along what was going one but let the Russians walk in the trap themselves。 It is not easy to have to admit after 70 years that the political system you are using is not really working！！ I can imagine that they want revenge and the western capitalist with dollar signs in their eyes where very much willing to help them。 Feel sorry for the Russian people， have not been lucky with their leaders for the past 2 centuries。 On the other hand， my mother used to say that people get the government they deserve。 Wonder how Navalny will come out， if he ever comes out， after 2，5 years in prison， most probably as a broken man like so many before him。 。。。more
Luuk
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Very impressive investigation into Putin’s kleptocratic empire， its origins and its struggle against the West。 The amount of information would be enough for three books。 Belton summarises and repeats enough to help the reader， but nonetheless the number of slush funds and business construction was sometimes dizzying。 This great work of research should be a warning to all democratic policy makers。
Rebecca Yang
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3。5 stars。 Exhaustively researched and very informative。 I would have liked more analysis in addition to a presenting of the facts， but I imagine even the latter had been difficult to piece together given the subject matter。
Stefan Sabev
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Bloody hell！
Andrew Pratley
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I have been immersed in this book over the last weeks。For time now I have wanted to understand what has been happening in Russia in recent times。 I gathered it was bad but hadn't realized how bad things had become。 This book presents a wealth of detail & paints a very disturbing picture。 Briefly， Putin & his henchmen， who are almost entirely ex-KGB men， have consolidated power creating a modern version of feudalism where power has been concentrated into the hands of a despot。 What will happen wh I have been immersed in this book over the last weeks。For time now I have wanted to understand what has been happening in Russia in recent times。 I gathered it was bad but hadn't realized how bad things had become。 This book presents a wealth of detail & paints a very disturbing picture。 Briefly， Putin & his henchmen， who are almost entirely ex-KGB men， have consolidated power creating a modern version of feudalism where power has been concentrated into the hands of a despot。 What will happen when Putin is gone is any bodies guess。 The chances are that it won't be pretty。 The KGB world view， which Putin subscribes to， is wholly Manichean。 It is in modern parlance Zero Sum。 He & they， for instance， hate the EU & working every day to having it broken up。 They do this by funneling support & money to far left & far right groups in order to exploit any possible division。They hate democracy of any kind。 Using vast amounts of black money which is money essentially stolen from the Russian people they corrupt governments， financial systems & officials anywhere in the world where it suits their purposes。 It is estimated that over the years some £800 billion has been either deployed or siphoned off into slush funds。A truly disturbing & important book。 。。。more
Paulette
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This book is a must read for all Americans， but especially for anyone out there still naive enough to think Russia is our friend。 I was inspired to read this after reading a review by columnist Anne Applebaum in The Atlantic Monthly。 This book chronicles how the KGB never really went away， that in fact it had put in place a corrupt network to stand up when it was clear the Soviet Union was going to collapse。 In place of Communist rule， Russia was taken over by corrupt oligarchs and Putin and his This book is a must read for all Americans， but especially for anyone out there still naive enough to think Russia is our friend。 I was inspired to read this after reading a review by columnist Anne Applebaum in The Atlantic Monthly。 This book chronicles how the KGB never really went away， that in fact it had put in place a corrupt network to stand up when it was clear the Soviet Union was going to collapse。 In place of Communist rule， Russia was taken over by corrupt oligarchs and Putin and his KGB cronies。 There are no good guys in this， not even Boris Yeltsin who encouraged Putin's rise but who wouldn't if you were in hock to his manipulation when your own government was riddled with corruption and debt。 Bottom line: with the help of naive and greedy Western banks and firms， Putin and Co have been laundering money throughout businesses and enterprises in the West， to include the US and Europe。 Their methods have changed but their motive remains， exploiting weaknesses in the West to put their country on top。 Putin used capitalism as a weapon and at the same time corrupted it for his benefit and that of his cronies。 Russia has spent millions on supporting far right campaigns in the west。 And Donald Trump？ There is a whole chapter on Trump and it is as bad as we always knew。 He is in deep with Russia and its Mafia， and indeed， this book cites the KGB as having believed Trump had been a successful recruitment for them。 It is more than clear after reading this fascinating， deeply sourced and detailed book just who Donald Trump was working for。 It was not for us。 And you will be shocked--or maybe not so shocked--at other names who pop up in this book who have had and have cozy relationships with shady Russian thugs。 Does the name Rand Paul ring a bell？ Bottom line， this book provides an excellent contemporary expose of Russia， Putin and their game plan。 It is dense at times， and for me， I found myself occasionally lost in the minutia of the deals made and the business transactions the author traces for the reader。 What is stunning to me is how so many people in the West （many Americans too） who bought into their scheme due to greed。 Also， how sad that President Obama even thought Russia had changed， in trying to work with Prime Minister Medvedev， who was nothing more than a placeholder for Putin， for when he could once again assume the Presidency。 Only one high ranking US official back in 2015 saw Russia for what it was。 He said the following re Russia: "Corruption is the new tool of foreign policy。 It's never been as handy and as useful as in the hands of nations who want to disrupt and oligarchs who respond to them。 It's like the kryptonite of a functioning democracy。 。。The stakes are strategic as ell as economic， because Russia and others are using corruption and oligarchs as tools of coercion。" The official who said this？ Then-Vice President Joseph R。 Biden。 。。。more
Mikey B。
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Page 443-44 （my book）The West had always viewed Russia’s economy as a resource-based basket case， incapable of the productivity gains of the West。 But to see Russia through that prism was to miss the short-term ambitions of Putin’s security men。 They didn’t particularly care about the economic well-being of their country’s people， as long as the economy was secure enough to allow them to hold onto power – and to project power globally。Vladimir Putin has become the Czar of Russia。 All must pass t Page 443-44 （my book）The West had always viewed Russia’s economy as a resource-based basket case， incapable of the productivity gains of the West。 But to see Russia through that prism was to miss the short-term ambitions of Putin’s security men。 They didn’t particularly care about the economic well-being of their country’s people， as long as the economy was secure enough to allow them to hold onto power – and to project power globally。Vladimir Putin has become the Czar of Russia。 All must pass through him。 The author explains how the Soviet KGB （to become the FSB after the demise of the Soviet Union） was preparing for changes。 They knew that the Soviet Union could not last through the 1980s。 They were setting up their networks to adapt to the upcoming new era。 They wanted to keep their position of strength。 And Putin was a part of that。The KGB was one of the few institutions in the Soviet Union to have contacts and an understanding of the world outside Russia。 They also increased their contacts with the extensive Russian network of organized crime。 It became difficult to distinguish the KGB （or FSB） from the Russian mafia。The author narrates how Putin became second in command in St。 Petersburg。 St。 Petersburg was a city steeped in organized crime more so in its Baltic port （Gulf of Finland）。Page 82 – 83 mid-1990sIn the rush to shore up their positions， in the battle to accommodate more wealth， Khodorkovsky and the others didn’t notice that nearby， in St。 Petersburg， there was a chill in the air。 Things were being run differently there。 Isolated from the gold rush of Moscow’s economic boom， the forces of the KGB were exerting far greater control， in a city where the economy was tougher and darker， in the violent scrabble for cash。 The author recounts how Putin rose to power in the wake of Yeltsin’s frenetic 1990s。 Once in power Putin then took on the rich oligarchies and subsumed their power and wealth to the Russian government。 He used flexible government laws and the Russian mob to do this。Page 239If [Khodorkovsky] could be taken down it could happen to any of them。Khodorkovsky was just one of several hundred oligarchs who were toppled by Putin。 It made Putin and his entourage wealthy and in control。Page 484 They [Putin’s entourage] had become part of a feudal system in which Putin’s role as the ultimate arbiter between rivals fighting for business was the source of his power。 Putin became what Russian society unfortunately requires the most – a tough guy – like Lenin， Stalin， and the Czars before。Page 165 – Putin“For Russians， a strong state is not an anomaly which should be got rid of。 Quite the contrary， they see it as a source and guarantor of order and the initiator and main driving force of any change。”Putin and his cronies wanted to exert power through Russia’s resources like oil and gas。 The pipeline to Europe passed through Ukraine which Russia always saw as an integral part of their country。 This led to problems。Putin also recruited the Orthodox Church which had been persecuted and ostracized under communism。 This was a good fit。 The Orthodox Church （page 258） “spoke to the great sacrifice， suffering and endurance of the Russian people。” It invoked Russia’s imperial past and wanted nothing to do with liberal humanism （gender equality， gay marriage， human rights…） espoused by Western Europe and some in the U。S。 Page 258 a former KGB officer“This sacred power [surrounding Putin] creates around itself an absolutely impenetrable cordon of guiltlessness。 The authorities cannot be guilty of anything。 They serve by absolute right。”Putin was very good， somewhat like Stalin， at fabricating external threats to Russia’s sovereignty。 The West saw Russia as a weakling to be exploited。 All outside influences were seen as threats。The West misread Putin and Russia as being weak – and at times Putin， being well-trained by the KGB， could mask his true intentions。 The West excused Putin’s lawlessness in usurping the freedom of the oligarchies， the judiciary， and the media。 It was only after the annexation of the Crimea that they recognized what was really happening。 They saw the spread of Russian “dirty money” in Western financial institutions。 Some of these slush funds were being used to support right wing groups and populist fronts across Europe。 The author gives evidence of financial support for those who supported Brexit。 Interestingly （I was unaware） the author brings up the infiltration of the London Stock Exchange by Russian funds。 In comparison to the New York Stock Exchange there is much less due diligence done on the London Stock Exchange。The author writes for the “Financial Times” so there is much discussion of financial data and institutions。 Also， and sometimes annoyingly， several names can be brought up per page。 Don’t read this book to find details of Putin’s personal life。I did find book giving a frightening view of Russia – and particularly of what Russia wants。 She does point out some weaknesses ahead。 There is a lot of money invested outside the country。 The disparity of income in Russia is tremendous。 With the increasing spread of Russian power to the outside world like Syria and Ukraine， plus the ever-increasing military budget – the Russian people are starting to ask questions about Putin and his very super-rich cronies。 。。。more
Robert Middlekauff
，
While a bit hard to follow at times， due to the complicated nature of Russian state and mafia corruptions schemes， this book does an incredible job detailing Putin's rise from the USSR to today。 Anybody interested in Russia or Putin should read this book！ While a bit hard to follow at times， due to the complicated nature of Russian state and mafia corruptions schemes， this book does an incredible job detailing Putin's rise from the USSR to today。 Anybody interested in Russia or Putin should read this book！ 。。。more
Louise
，
In exhaustive detail， with a focus on the financial issues， Catherine Belton documents Putin’s rise to power， how he cemented his control over the country and its economy and then turned to restoring Russia’s territories and settling scores with the West。 Benton shows how Putin’s KGB posting in Dresden was not some backwater middle management job。 While the bulk of international intelligence was placed in Berlin， Dresden， below the radar， was the center for stolen and smuggled technology， KGB re In exhaustive detail， with a focus on the financial issues， Catherine Belton documents Putin’s rise to power， how he cemented his control over the country and its economy and then turned to restoring Russia’s territories and settling scores with the West。 Benton shows how Putin’s KGB posting in Dresden was not some backwater middle management job。 While the bulk of international intelligence was placed in Berlin， Dresden， below the radar， was the center for stolen and smuggled technology， KGB recruitment （particularly from the waning Stasi） and funding terrorists and others fomenting anti-western sentiment around the world， particularly in the middle east。 That Putin performed important services can be documented by his KGB pension which is paid at a “heros” rate。Belton shows how by taking similar drab sounding positions in St。 Petersburg and Moscow， Putin has able to bask in the glow of the perceived reformists Anatoly Sobchek， Mayor of St。 Petersburg and Boris Yeltsin who benefited from the very popular move to a market economy。 Benton shows how state owned industries sold cheaply at a dizzying pace， but only the elite had cash to get in the game。 Fortunes were made。 The circumstances show how Putin， a seemingly behind the scenes functionary， was the a consensus pick of the Yeltsin insiders to take the reins。 Once installed， he employed typical KGB moves to stay in power… taking over the press， capitalizing on （and most likely creating） terrorist incidents， changing elected governance and judicial positions to appointed and using or creating governmental levers to promote friends and destroy enemies。 The highlight of the book （for me） is the step by step telling of Putin’s first defining action: the takeover of Yukos and the imprisonment of Mikhail Khodorkovsky。 This set the pattern for the kleptocracy that is Russia today。 What follows are more deals and incidents that consolidate financial control such that would be owners are merely caretakers who keep their positions as long as Putin is satisfied。The sections on the Ukraine， the insinuation of Russian money into England and the courtship of Donald Trump were disappointing because they are told through deals and incidents。 Some deals are hard to follow and some have vague references to “organized crime” which at this point is not fully distinguishable from the Putin government。 The book ends with glimpses of the public’s dissatisfaction with Putin and the entrenchment of his power。I recommend this for the first 2/3 which explains the rise to power。 The ending， for me， was a blur of names， deals and incidents。 。。。more
Mārtiņš Vaivars
，
Riktīgs ķieģelis。 Interesants līdz pusei， kur uzzināju daudz kā jauna par Padomju Savienības sabrukumu un Krievijas 90iem。 Pēc tam riktīgs blah。Žurnālistiem vajag beigt darīt šīs divas lietas: （1） savus pētnieciskos rakstus/grāmatas padarīt par data dump， kur vienkārši nekritiski izgāzti visi atrastie fakti bez nopietnas sintēzes un argumenta， （2） nepārtraukti veikt nepamatotus secinājumus "viņš izdarīja X， bet viņš noteikti nevarētu izdarīt X bez VDK zināšanas un atbalsta" stilā。Mazliet vilšanā Riktīgs ķieģelis。 Interesants līdz pusei， kur uzzināju daudz kā jauna par Padomju Savienības sabrukumu un Krievijas 90iem。 Pēc tam riktīgs blah。Žurnālistiem vajag beigt darīt šīs divas lietas: （1） savus pētnieciskos rakstus/grāmatas padarīt par data dump， kur vienkārši nekritiski izgāzti visi atrastie fakti bez nopietnas sintēzes un argumenta， （2） nepārtraukti veikt nepamatotus secinājumus "viņš izdarīja X， bet viņš noteikti nevarētu izdarīt X bez VDK zināšanas un atbalsta" stilā。Mazliet vilšanās pēc tā， kā visi slavēja šo grāmatu。 Gribējās daudz vairāk par mūsdienu Krievijas sabiedrības dažādību un jaunajām politiskajām vēsmām。 。。。more
Doug Turner
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This was an in-depth historical narrative that， while it often get very detailed， felt very fast-paced and was always very engaging。 I would highly recommend。 The author has provided a tremendous amount of research and insight into how Russia has devolved into a mafia state， that goes beyond what I would have thought possible。 It details the specific networks and transactions and how money flows between criminal organizations， state institutions， and Western banks， and provides a rich understand This was an in-depth historical narrative that， while it often get very detailed， felt very fast-paced and was always very engaging。 I would highly recommend。 The author has provided a tremendous amount of research and insight into how Russia has devolved into a mafia state， that goes beyond what I would have thought possible。 It details the specific networks and transactions and how money flows between criminal organizations， state institutions， and Western banks， and provides a rich understanding of the characters of the people involved。 I can't recommend this enough for anybody interested in Russia。 。。。more
Philip
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Terrifying book。 The West is in deep trouble。。。。 very， very deep。 If one third of this is true then western society is imploding。 I found the later part of the book feeling with the Putinistas role in subverting western politics very superficial。 It's crude assumptions about what is good for the West i。e。 rule by it's own oligarchs in the EU and the technogarchs weirdly myopic。 It's almost as if the author failed to see the irony in this。 Trump broke ranks with his class and was crucified by the Terrifying book。 The West is in deep trouble。。。。 very， very deep。 If one third of this is true then western society is imploding。 I found the later part of the book feeling with the Putinistas role in subverting western politics very superficial。 It's crude assumptions about what is good for the West i。e。 rule by it's own oligarchs in the EU and the technogarchs weirdly myopic。 It's almost as if the author failed to see the irony in this。 Trump broke ranks with his class and was crucified by them， that means that there are many many more narcissistic and evil puerile out there。 A very thought provoking if flawed book。 。。。more
Ciaran Monaghan
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This a comprehensive beast of a book and is really well-researched。 I admittedly struggled sometimes with the volume of names， companies， job titles， etc。 but can't really fault the author as they had gathered so much information and were able to wrangle all into a structure that was easy to follow on the whole。 It is pretty impressive on reflection。 I'm not sure if there is a right way to feel about a book like this， but I was left feeling a bit sad really。 Putin and the KGB have just repeated This a comprehensive beast of a book and is really well-researched。 I admittedly struggled sometimes with the volume of names， companies， job titles， etc。 but can't really fault the author as they had gathered so much information and were able to wrangle all into a structure that was easy to follow on the whole。 It is pretty impressive on reflection。 I'm not sure if there is a right way to feel about a book like this， but I was left feeling a bit sad really。 Putin and the KGB have just repeated the mistakes made under the Soviet system， facing outwards and worrying about their prestige and power on the global stage， completely neglecting the Russian people。 The amount of money that has flown outwards， and not been invested in improving the lives of ordinary people， is obscene。 If there is one moment of slight hope from recent news， it's that government mismanagement has now reached such a point that life for the majority seems to be getting worse and that protest movements such as those we are seeing now might actually begin to gain more traction， potentially signalling the end for Vladimir the Underpants Poisoner。 。。。more
Erik Champenois
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This book came highly praised by many political analysts and journalists and it did not disappoint。 In "Putin's People，" Belton reviews what we know about Putin， and the people surrounding Putin， since his earliest days as a KGB spy in Dresden， Germany up to 2019。 The author having worked on this book for many years， most of the book focuses on the "How the KGB took back Russia" part， with the last third or so covering how Russia took on the West。 The book is strongest and most thorough when cov This book came highly praised by many political analysts and journalists and it did not disappoint。 In "Putin's People，" Belton reviews what we know about Putin， and the people surrounding Putin， since his earliest days as a KGB spy in Dresden， Germany up to 2019。 The author having worked on this book for many years， most of the book focuses on the "How the KGB took back Russia" part， with the last third or so covering how Russia took on the West。 The book is strongest and most thorough when covering the first part but still extremely helpful for contextualizing the second part， albeit I would have liked some more details on the second part about Russia's varied interference in the West and with the western world order。 This book is particularly useful for its coverage of the financial aspects of Russia in the last few decades。 As a former Moscow correspondent for the Financial Times， this book additionally shines through its reliance on multiple interviews with people closer to the levers of power in Russia - both in business and government。 Many of her sources are anonymous but many of them are named， including former Putin banker and billonaire Sergei Pugachev， former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkosvky， and others。 The story starts in the last years of the Soviet Union - as the USSR moves towards collapse， elements within the KGB start siphoning billions of dollars out of state enterprises and moving their money to the west。 These elements make use of the market forces of the 90's to make more money to finance their network with。 They are however eclipsed by the rise of the oligarchs。 After combining to put Putin in power， however， the （former） KGB and Putin are able to take back control of the economy from the oligarchs。 Putin's crackdowns on the oligarchs in his first term is often celebrated as a plus for Russia within Russia itself， and even in the West - but the author here shows clearly that this process wasn't as much for the betterment of the nation as a whole as it was to enrich the corridors of power surrounding Putin and the former KGB。 In the end， this process created what is basically a mafia state with Putin on top of a pyramid of corruption， influence and control， consisting of former KGB， business people operating under Putin's behest， and organized crime networks。 The part that is dangerous to the West - other than internal affairs in Russia being a net negative to the world - is that the creation of global slush funds and the movement of black money around the world has enabled Russia to finance operations to increase its power and to corrupt and divide the West。 Russia's support of far left and far right movements in Europe and the United States， including Brexit and Trump， have deepened divisions and weakened the influence of the West。 In the end， however， Belton questions the sustainability of Russia's mafia state system as one that repeats some of the errors of the Soviet Union， leading to weaker economic growth and lack of responsiveness to popular demands。 With Putin currently able to potentially stay in power until 2036， it will be interesting to see whether he is able to ensure continued power and/or a smooth succession or whether history will repeat and result in another collapse of the system。 Either way， and whether or not a better path is eventually realized， Russia will undoubtedly both experience and cause further trouble to the world。 。。。more
Jan-Willem
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Een belangwekkende geschiedenis。 Je wordt op een gegeven moment een beetje murw gebeukt door alle schaduwtransacties， siloviki en chicanes。
Philip Meneses
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A thorough look at the modern day Czar in Russia and the kleptocracy/mafia state that has taken hold。 It will be interesting to see how current events will play out compared to the past 20+ years。 Belton shows how many prominent citizens known on the world stage are just pawns in a never ending game for more resources。 The level of greed is staggering and the willingness to put the common person last。
Aakash Gandhi
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What a book ！ Anyone wanting to know about Putin/KGB should read this book。 And cherry on top is how trump has been cultivated as an asset for over 35 years。 Brilliant。
Victor
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Great book， very relevant。be wary of Money and stay true to your principles。
Kevin Eliezer
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Russian Kleptocracy 101
RJ
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So many details， so many Russian names ！ A little hard to keep them all straight， but then， it is named Putin's PEOPLE。Putin pushed to the fore to replace Yeltsin so the communists would not again take power， a move later regretted when it became obvious that the new oligarchs from the end of the Soviet Union became replaced by new ones belonging to the KGB in cahoots with Russia's top crime bosses， all condoned but always denied by Putin。 Money was laundered thru shell companies， newly formed b So many details， so many Russian names ！ A little hard to keep them all straight， but then， it is named Putin's PEOPLE。Putin pushed to the fore to replace Yeltsin so the communists would not again take power， a move later regretted when it became obvious that the new oligarchs from the end of the Soviet Union became replaced by new ones belonging to the KGB in cahoots with Russia's top crime bosses， all condoned but always denied by Putin。 Money was laundered thru shell companies， newly formed banks and used in the Western NATO countries to undermine governments， politicians and bring them under the sway of Putin's Russia， a system set up by the KGB during the Soviet Union and maintained after its demise。 In America， the Russian mafia， all associated with the above ， hung out at Trump's casino， The Taj Mahal。 Russians would take the laundered money， make plans to build luxurious hotels， apt。 bldgs。 and then， pay trump millions of dollars just to have the trump name put on them。 Then， when loans came due， they declared bankruptcy， but kept the money。 Russian governing bodies cheered， partied when trump became US President。 After reading this， my impression is that most politicians， those in power in England， US， Austria， Italy， etc， etc， etc， are "on the take。"They live for power & money， and democracy is forgotten。 。。。more
John Machata
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Putin is a practiced criminal， who artfully gained power by hoodwinking the oligarchs who seized power upon the implosion of the USSR。 Any doubt that Putin's rule is a thugocracy wed to kleptocracy is laid aside in this authoritative work。 Putin， having consolidated his power in Russia now seeks to express Russian power on the international stage through misinformation， disinformation， and ruthless maintenance of control within Russia。 Putin is a practiced criminal， who artfully gained power by hoodwinking the oligarchs who seized power upon the implosion of the USSR。 Any doubt that Putin's rule is a thugocracy wed to kleptocracy is laid aside in this authoritative work。 Putin， having consolidated his power in Russia now seeks to express Russian power on the international stage through misinformation， disinformation， and ruthless maintenance of control within Russia。 。。。more
Aurora
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Lots of data about the former KGB and now Russian secret police。 Many Russian mobsters， businessmen infiltrate western countries。 Money laundering， bribery， dark money all are used to compromise everyone！ Double dealing is rampart among the Russians， the secret police run everything。 There doesn't look like there is a way for Russia to get out from under Putin and the secret police。 Russia is country comfortable with the corruption， it's always had a czar， despot， etc。 A chapter on Trump。 Nothin Lots of data about the former KGB and now Russian secret police。 Many Russian mobsters， businessmen infiltrate western countries。 Money laundering， bribery， dark money all are used to compromise everyone！ Double dealing is rampart among the Russians， the secret police run everything。 There doesn't look like there is a way for Russia to get out from under Putin and the secret police。 Russia is country comfortable with the corruption， it's always had a czar， despot， etc。 A chapter on Trump。 Nothing new。 He was bought in the 1990's。 。。。more
Peter Tkačenko
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Quite simply， the ONE book about Soviet transition to putinism through Yeltsin's intermission， about Russia， most of the Kremlin people and of course about Putin himself。 Dilligent research， excellent writing， easy reading。 Indispensable for anyone who wants to understand contemporary Russia and how it emerged。 Quite simply， the ONE book about Soviet transition to putinism through Yeltsin's intermission， about Russia， most of the Kremlin people and of course about Putin himself。 Dilligent research， excellent writing， easy reading。 Indispensable for anyone who wants to understand contemporary Russia and how it emerged。 。。。more
Megan
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Fascinating info and a must read for understanding Russia under Putin。 Catherine Belton’s access and information is of the highest quality。 However， the book reads like publication was rushed: poor editing， repetitive phrasing in parts， not as clearly organized as I’d like， especially in part one。 I found I had to go back and write short summaries of each chapter as I read， so I could make sure I was synthesizing the info correctly and underscoring the key points。 That was in addition to frequen Fascinating info and a must read for understanding Russia under Putin。 Catherine Belton’s access and information is of the highest quality。 However， the book reads like publication was rushed: poor editing， repetitive phrasing in parts， not as clearly organized as I’d like， especially in part one。 I found I had to go back and write short summaries of each chapter as I read， so I could make sure I was synthesizing the info correctly and underscoring the key points。 That was in addition to frequent highlighting （I’ve shared only a fraction of my highlights here）。 I made a PowerPoint summary of the book for my book group; if you’d like a copy， message me。 。。。more
Elizabeth
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I have a love/hate relationship with this book。 Rating is difficult because it was very well written， very thorough， and the subject matter extremely interesting。 However， it was not an easy read and the level of detail was far beyond what I was expecting or interested in。 The author’s knowledge of the subject matter was impressive， and she did open my eyes to levels of corruption that are both disturbing and intriguing。 I would recommend it， but if it seems like a little much you could skip the I have a love/hate relationship with this book。 Rating is difficult because it was very well written， very thorough， and the subject matter extremely interesting。 However， it was not an easy read and the level of detail was far beyond what I was expecting or interested in。 The author’s knowledge of the subject matter was impressive， and she did open my eyes to levels of corruption that are both disturbing and intriguing。 I would recommend it， but if it seems like a little much you could skip the first 150 pages （a lot of background- interesting but not totally necessary for understanding the current situation。） 。。。more
Alex Kitáin
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