23:59:59

This message comes from NPR sponsor. Plymouth. Gin Plymouth. Jane is imported from England. South West Coast and is distilled using a blend of seven Botanicals including juniper berry coriander seed and citrus peel play with gin in 1793. With

0:17

all the attention on what's Happening along the border

0:19

between and Russia right now. We've

0:22

been thinking a lot about this man.

0:24

Russian President. Vladimir Putin

0:26

has

0:27

been in charge since the start

0:29

of the Millennium a few years ago. We

0:31

looked at Putin's rise to power which

0:33

is as relevant today. As it was when

0:35

we first made this episode.

0:41

Okay,

0:42

we're going to take you back to 2009

0:44

for a minute to meeting between President

0:46

Vladimir Putin and bunch of wealthy

0:48

Russian Factory owners.

0:50

What you want to disable it gave a lot of mobile

0:52

magician which, movie

0:54

hits as i get really sick of that can it be some

0:56

of my audience

0:57

Now, just imagine the seen through

1:00

in his voice, the hearing is sitting at the head

1:02

of a long run. In comment table. That

1:04

I mean and a windbreaker and guys

1:07

in suits are sitting around that table

1:09

hanging on his every word and.

1:11

the rest and press

1:12

There capture it all Putin, is asking

1:14

group why haven't you fixed this labor dispute?

1:17

you were running around and i quite like

1:19

cockroaches before

1:22

It's no accident that he's joining them through the mud

1:24

in front of the Russian has this

1:26

is a publicity. Then. Throughout the scolding

1:28

them, like children to mix them, all

1:31

signed contract, ordering them to reopen

1:33

their factory and any picks out one particular

1:35

factory on it to again, no.

1:37

Action is prominent Russian billionaire

1:40

his name by the way he met several times

1:43

and the Muller investigation or lack

1:45

thereof substandard citizens ago about this

1:48

place, but the so. Did everyone sinus?

1:51

surgeries with our pasco have you sign

1:53

says yes i have signed

1:56

them to and make their cars does

1:58

get up out of a thief or.

2:00

All the way around the table and sign the contract

2:02

again.

2:08

And a therapist go off the way that.

2:10

in says

2:12

Give me back my pets and make

2:14

therapist or flock all the way back

2:16

over the hand that town.

2:21

Tension in the region has been building with the on the hundreds

2:23

of thousands must have

2:26

Ukraine porn and see us issuing

2:28

it's wrong this morning so glad I'm here

2:30

for his friends.

2:31

Biden ordering eighty five hundred U.S. troops

2:33

we put on heightened alert spinning they are

2:35

ready for rapid deployment to support American

2:37

NATO allies if Russia invades Ukraine

2:40

you're. listening to through line from npr

2:43

Let me go back in time. To

2:46

understand the present.

2:50

Hey, I'm not it's

2:52

a tough.

2:53

I'm ranting Arab Louis and on this episode

2:55

decoding the power of LaTimer

2:57

Food.

2:59

That video we opened with and honestly

3:02

felt like I was.

3:02

Seeing a scene from monster movie, yeah,

3:04

I be prudent pretty much tas himself as

3:06

a my boss and that meeting like he's really

3:09

trying hard to portray himself as tough guy.

3:11

Then I got us thinking hundred Russia

3:13

come to be. Run by this guy, bought

3:15

an airplane, mean, when you say Russia,

3:17

you might as well be saying potent right because

3:20

Putin has been running Russia for more than twenty

3:22

years.

3:23

And on one hand, you have this over the top image

3:25

of To and the Mob boss, the guy who writes

3:27

shirtless on Horseback Works Scuba

3:29

dive.

3:30

For ancient trousers that, of course, the

3:32

always find, and all of this is

3:34

designed to make him seem unstoppable.

3:36

Some kind of James Bond, you know, strong

3:39

and suave and dare I say it even

3:41

sex.

3:42

The with,

3:45

this has gone on display right is him

3:47

posing. but then there's this

3:49

other side of pool as the protector of

3:51

russia the person who's restored

3:53

russia standing in the world's a puppet

3:55

master when beef countries and killed

3:57

dissidents View images of to.

4:00

In that we see how did I can to

4:02

be and how do they help him?

4:03

In pain paler to answer those questions,

4:06

we have to understand how he became the person

4:08

we see today, time like a ghost

4:10

of Christmas past. There's

4:13

an international escape.

4:15

Peter is wearing a bombing conspiracy and

4:17

reality TV make over.

4:36

Support for NPR comes from Newman's

4:38

Own Foundation, working to nourish

4:41

the common. Good by donating all profits

4:43

from Newman's food products to charitable

4:45

organizations that seek to make

4:47

the world a place. More information

4:50

is available at noon. Org.

4:55

Part 1 The Great Escape

4:57

career

5:01

began

5:01

in the Soviet Union's, notorious

5:03

intelligence service the KGB. I'm,

5:07

soon started off as a

5:09

robot junior I'm probably not face

5:12

successful I'm KGB

5:14

officer. mrs edwards lucas

5:16

he was moscow bureau chief economist

5:18

from ninety nine late two thousand till

5:21

so potent fresh out law school was recruited

5:23

to join the kgb we back in nineteen

5:25

seventy five

5:26

Not a lot of known about that time in his life,

5:28

but what we do know is that nineteen eighty

5:31

five he was assigned to post in city.

5:33

In East Germany contrast

5:35

and a. bit of a bit closer and

5:37

that man he was too far from the capital

5:39

berlin

5:40

variants all be exciting sky games

5:42

that were playing out there.

5:44

During the height of the Cold War and

5:46

it's not clear that she ever ran any

5:48

agent so conducted any real

5:50

espionage operations on the sub

5:53

suggests that she's been to boost to be

5:55

an intelligent systems chestnut

5:58

on other people, which is a sort of necessary. Okay.

6:03

The and five years and gentlemen and

6:05

a total and sixteen years and KGB.

6:07

The while slowly working his way up

6:09

the ladder, doing the job necessary to

6:11

get ahead. Then. then

6:14

In ninety one or a Soviet president,

6:16

Mikhail Gorbachev has.

6:18

The revenue from our house arrest

6:20

after the failure of the August two never

6:22

become a real sore has republic the now they

6:24

are forming separate Commonwealth of Independent

6:27

States Russia the world

6:29

ranking crashing down around Job.

6:31

with you die you swore he was But

6:34

he walks.

6:35

Just months after an attempted to mikhail

6:37

Gorbachev resigned from his position

6:39

as president of the Soviet Union.

6:42

Effectively breathing it when I did with civilizations

6:45

Dc, Jones or see if he got to it

6:47

was as if it's height of the rush down the

6:49

beach. and you could been see

6:51

the for the studio outcrops of

6:54

real power suddenly the

6:56

country went from having a centralized communist

6:58

economy to something that was more privatized

7:01

It was wildly unstable time for

7:03

every. In Russia, free.

7:05

It emerged that was poorly managed and

7:07

a breeding grounds.

7:08

Russian mob years and other criminals took

7:11

advantage of the instability and Russia's

7:13

massive wealth was picked off by few

7:15

at the top amid all that a new

7:17

leader came to power in Russia his.

7:19

name Boris Yeltsin armor

7:24

or, see try to stabilize the Russian economy

7:27

but his message we're pretty safe, yields

7:29

government more or less act like the Mafia

7:32

you do me favor I owe you return

7:34

the favor later et. cetera good

7:36

old fashioned corruption Increasingly

7:38

in the nine days there was

7:41

a picture of Russian politics

7:44

as kind of Byzantine

7:46

court with. all

7:48

of these people with their new fortunes

7:51

trying to get favors

7:53

and influence decision making

7:56

by the immediate circle around

7:58

yeltsin this is decent It it

8:00

is professor at Columbia University and was top

8:03

official in the U.S. State Department during the Clinton

8:05

administration.

8:06

Now. I'm sure you're wondering where Pool and ended

8:08

up in all this chaos and the truth is

8:11

it left him sort of disoriented

8:13

he been forced to move back to Russia with. His young

8:15

family after the Berlin Wall fell his

8:18

job of the KGB no longer exists it

8:20

because the KGB no longer existed

8:22

it went down with the Soviet Union so.

8:25

his career plans were completely derailed

8:29

Eventually they'll pull in caught a break,

8:31

he got job and is. St. Petersburg.

8:34

As an advisor two thousand of it's former law professors

8:37

and mentors anatoly sobchak

8:40

that. point six had left the university

8:42

to become mayor of st petersburg That

8:45

cat the guiding to take chance and to

8:47

and. We need him deputy mayor

8:49

of St Petersburg this.

8:51

was still in training ground it's where he

8:53

learned how to play the game of us in politics

8:56

and he made it very clear he had higher ambitions

8:58

than just running things behind the scenes

9:01

in st petersburg

9:04

And you know it? He

9:07

would have been on them.

9:09

Listen, the clips from the ninety nine two documentary

9:12

that potent commissioned by himself, it's

9:14

called Power. And in the scene

9:16

bonus driving his eyes visible

9:18

in the rearview mirror snow covered trees

9:20

pass by outside of his window and

9:23

then he makes a bold admission that

9:25

he was formerly member of the KGB wasn't.

9:27

very popular for lot of people to time Now

9:30

and exactly. Why

9:35

you wanted and?

9:37

Their photographs there are reminiscences,

9:40

recollections of people.

9:46

Wanted him there in a position of

9:49

kind of minor gatekeeper monitoring

9:51

keeping an eye on who was

9:53

coming and who was going out there.

9:55

were lot of skills that prudent

9:58

to killer resume The sub

10:00

circuit the time.

10:01

The don't like being a stealthy observer

10:04

operating in the shadows and

10:06

your meyer told us story about the and that he

10:08

heard from an American diplomat back on

10:10

meyer with Moscow correspondent for Time magazine

10:13

and the ninety nine.

10:14

He was always the guy at the reception

10:17

in the corner. If in silent,

10:19

not drinking. Famous for not

10:21

drinking and taking know. The

10:24

serving and, a he

10:26

said we called him the ghost Because

10:28

he was always present, but never really visible.

10:32

Not to really understand Pools rise to power,

10:35

we have to understand the dynamics between his boss's

10:38

sub shock and Yeltsin, remember

10:40

at this time is the president of Russia.

10:42

The dramatic tale of two rivals

10:44

who could have been.

10:45

More and different, Yeltsin was kind

10:47

of the big bearish, often clownish

10:51

buffoon. Who would love

10:53

to obviously drink shots with

10:55

you and was the king of

10:57

bluster subject was? Everything

11:00

the opposite very. measured

11:03

And some and really that the West

11:05

and especially government officials.

11:08

Lawyers, business people could

11:10

appreciate.

11:11

Yeltsin began to feel threatened by sub

11:14

shock to wasn't a yes man he wanted,

11:16

plus Yeltsin worried that Sub South

11:18

was becoming a potential opposition candidate.

11:21

They mess up the chances for reelection.

11:23

The'and and the sad sack yeltsin

11:26

relationship. Blue

11:28

Hinton to an outright rivalry

11:30

to test subject loyalty, Yeltsin

11:32

summoned him to his office to ask him about

11:34

reelection any very simply says, "You know

11:37

what do you think do you think I should run?" The

11:39

subject, of course, gives the wrong answer, what

11:41

does he say? That. I'm

11:43

not sure that this is time you should think about, you

11:45

know, taking it easy, maybe it's time to step

11:48

down maybe it's time to think about your health maybe

11:50

seven. Think about your families and those

11:53

were the last words that Yeltsin wanted to hear

11:56

subject, had failed the test, at

11:59

that point

12:00

Your. Can basically declared war on and it,

12:03

began with legal cases it began with

12:05

a lot of yellow journalism, he

12:07

became victimless tabloid

12:10

highly sensationalist charges

12:12

flu or almost. Daily it

12:14

was have drip drip, drip torture

12:17

on subchapter subject's name

12:19

was mired in months, the scandals

12:21

his reputation was in, tatters and

12:24

so when it came to his reelection. Bid for Mayor.

12:26

st petersburg he lost

12:28

him

12:29

The needed and facing a bunch of criminal investigations

12:31

that may or may not have been politically motivated

12:34

he. could lead him in prison subsets

12:37

within see If you alone. But then

12:39

one day and the middle of all this chaos

12:41

subjects man forbidden from

12:43

leaving the country shows up in.

12:45

In in those days this

12:48

was not something easy to pull off that,

12:51

a man who was says

12:53

we wanted by, Russian

12:55

intelligence Russian law enforcement

12:58

guy his own political. rivals

13:01

that he could just end up in paris

13:03

The subject, as someone with special

13:05

skills on a side.

13:07

Couldn't orchestrated this sort

13:09

of centralistic escapes

13:11

he hire an arranged

13:13

to hire through an intermediary

13:16

a private jets and Sandlin

13:19

brings, it cross into

13:21

Russian airspace gets sub

13:23

chalk on the plane somehow

13:25

they get across to Paris as

13:28

only. send one subject

13:30

lands in paris at the world finds out Two

13:33

and had basically done. The impact on.

13:35

And in the protesters prove just how clever

13:38

or more.

13:39

He could make and. this is that stranded

13:41

on your radar

13:43

Eventually Nelson so

13:46

gave. position

13:52

Had

13:55

a strange way.

13:56

Why would Yeltsin choose the higher

13:59

the guy who was is? If all subjects predator.

14:02

There a couple things I mean one is it,

14:04

in mass the Hilton was behind the

14:06

campaign. had to doom

14:09

him the fact that Luton. Became

14:11

sort of writing, and on the White House to rescue him

14:14

is what resonated loudest and Yeltsin's

14:16

mind, did you think maybe you'll do this for me

14:18

one day because you? Know Yeltsin's government

14:20

was super corrupt and he was quickly

14:22

making enemies losing popularity,

14:24

yeah, there's no question that everyone at the time

14:27

remembering the subject rescues and

14:29

at the same time. Yeltsin not only physically

14:32

and from but. all kinds of

14:34

legal questions surrounding his

14:36

own regime The

14:38

threat. Not just of and of illegal

14:41

nightmare haunting yachts and but

14:43

even maybe something worse, something like a coup

14:45

against him clearly. The

14:48

premium was on loyalty and couldn't

14:50

was the man who had that greatest

14:52

experience showing loyalty.

14:54

When it's hot here for a second I'm seeing yeah

14:57

and because this whole subject episode

15:00

and. everything that happened after the collapse

15:02

of the soviet union The kind

15:04

of feels like who in was on the receiving

15:06

end of all that like that he was riding

15:09

the wave, yeah, and happened

15:11

to and up on top.

15:12

Yeah, any way he was just kind of and

15:14

the right place at the right times, I mean,

15:17

he doesn't even feel like she's a main character's

15:19

his own story of this.

15:20

The weekend accident of history or something

15:22

less his former mentor happened to

15:24

become the mayor, St Petersburg, he happened to

15:26

appoint him deputy mayor St Petersburg

15:29

and ironically when

15:31

Subs had fled, Yeltsin took an

15:33

interest in him and. Lucky that Yeltsin even

15:35

react that way.

15:37

In fact, things keep getting better for Poon,

15:39

not long after Pool makes it to Moscow, he's

15:41

appointed the head of the new intelligence service

15:44

and Russia, the F.S. The also

15:46

known as.

15:48

Federal Naya Sluice by Desert

15:50

Bus not fear of the of glaze as a rough

15:52

seas. How did this?

15:57

Honestly, it's not that bad, yeah,

15:59

I wouldn't say. Read either, you know, and mean,

16:01

would say a factors may be average

16:03

more than I'd like that.

16:05

Anyway, the as these roles well,

16:07

it's not all that different from the KGB, which

16:10

remember pulling have been apart of for a long

16:12

time so he was returning to very

16:14

familiar.

16:15

territory and as the head of the fsb

16:17

couldn't began his stunning as set out.

16:35

The poor for this podcast and the following

16:37

message come from K. bucksbaum in

16:39

support of the David guilty and Xabi

16:41

You'll, it's a minor memorial fund established

16:43

to strengthen NPR commitment to

16:46

training and protecting journalists in

16:48

high risk environments.

16:52

Hard to put

16:54

in wag the dog.

16:57

Then. Year is nineteen ninety nine Boris,

17:00

Yeltsin has been ruling over Russia for the

17:02

last seven years or so, but it's

17:04

health sailing he's just

17:06

barely won reelection recently

17:08

face. Impeachment and he's alienated

17:10

has parliament and, determine he

17:12

realizes can't hold on to power. for long

17:15

but he also knows just how much as government

17:17

has stolen from the russian people Yeah,

17:21

you've done it again, faking his and

17:23

try government and plunging has come.

17:25

The into crisis and he worried

17:27

that the next president will try to hold

17:30

him and his quote unquote family

17:32

accountable, so he needs

17:34

something as.

17:35

His esser who he can trust and, who better

17:37

than guy just a few years earlier

17:39

took extreme measures cover up for his

17:41

boss

17:42

And no Yeltsin kicks to end at

17:44

a relative obscurity to be Russia's

17:46

next prime minister, hoping that

17:49

if all goes according to plan. And that

17:51

big it. You might become

17:53

the next president.

17:57

It was really,

17:59

I think the last.

18:00

Then. Speaker of the dice by,

18:02

the and Yeltsin family because

18:04

they were facing impeachment speed duma,

18:06

the Russian parliament was ready set up

18:08

with the way the country be wrong

18:11

and. The corruption of Yeltsin in a circle

18:13

again Edward Lucas said he was really going

18:15

off to him and his they tasted blood already.

18:18

and some i see what happens to

18:20

be else and family term to proceed

18:23

as a former kgb guy and said

18:25

can you fix this The still had

18:27

problem: Russia was democracy. The

18:30

couldn't had to be legitimately elected as

18:32

positive.

18:33

And at that point, pretty much no one inside

18:36

Russia or outside Russia, some as

18:38

a potential world leader. I mean people

18:40

in the US state department could barely believe

18:42

that even been chosen as Prime Minister and the first

18:44

place remember getting a call

18:46

in the early morning from.

18:49

the state department

18:51

Telling me that this had been the president

18:53

Yeltsin's choice and,

18:56

you know i laughed out loud the

18:58

idea that this The

19:00

mean nobody could be appointed

19:03

Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

19:05

was astonishing to me and

19:07

my colleagues. That one thing we

19:09

were pretty sure of was this guy wasn't gonna

19:12

last.

19:13

At this point, it's get this is a made sense

19:15

for outsiders to In's rise came out of

19:18

nowhere and it didn't seem like you last

19:20

see the son of it's told us about the first time

19:22

he met them and when he was working in the state

19:24

department during the Clinton years.

19:27

He was then very new on the job

19:29

he, was very unsure of himself

19:32

hesitance but in crazy aiding

19:34

he obviously wanted to make

19:36

a good impression on the president of the United

19:38

States. he was

19:41

Clearly very conscious it being not

19:43

only newcomer to high politics

19:46

but much shorter isn't Bill Clinton

19:49

who, could tell just the physical

19:52

presence of consistent makes it somewhat,

19:54

uncomfortable and what did Clinton

19:56

to. govern clinton afterwards

19:58

said he liked him That

20:00

he saw Russian I,

20:03

remember being little surprised by this because

20:05

I could tell what Putin was trying to do

20:08

was not seem Russian. a

20:10

he was trying to seem german Competent,

20:13

impressive professional

20:15

in contrast to Yeltsin

20:18

whom Clinton was used to dealing with

20:21

I, also told Madeline Albright after

20:23

the meeting that he seemed to me little rodent

20:26

like you know small animal

20:29

with big nervous be the first,

20:32

super. as you

20:34

know the next time we saw The next time

20:36

they fun.

20:38

Will get to bad rubbish to say he doesn't

20:40

seem brought in like for long.

20:44

The the thing that most people didn't realize

20:47

that the time for that unit's and into

20:49

and are willing to do anything

20:51

to get him elected is devastating

20:54

seeing the whole midsection as a filthy

20:56

is gone all that's left.

20:58

Hartman are get rid of rough

21:00

on earth, allows regulation that emotion

21:03

was not an acceptable with.

21:09

Searching for all his hustler slash.

21:13

A series a bombs go off apartment

21:15

buildings across Moscow.

21:16

Then he was a an apartment

21:19

luminous and couple other cities but

21:21

of course Moscow was the most

21:23

important one with both are two hundred

21:26

to class people would give and.

21:28

more than thousand or injury

21:33

Er yes hi this. is a

21:35

huge philistines key i'm historian

21:38

i was so born in a rough

21:40

from move to the united states

21:43

and

21:43

Eerie was immediately suspicious

21:45

of the Russian government's explanation about

21:47

who was behind the bomb.

21:49

Now the government claims

21:51

as this was done by kitchen terrorists,

21:54

oh what was very easy for people

21:56

to believe with those. Because it

21:58

wouldn't have been the first time.

22:00

Just a few years earlier, Chechens declared

22:02

independence, and Russia invaded Chechnya

22:05

in response in what became the first

22:07

Chechen war. The result?

22:09

Hundreds of thousands of Chechens were

22:12

either killed or less display.

22:15

The after the nineteen ninety nine bombings take

22:17

place, it wasn't as easy to blame

22:19

the Chechens because things strange.

22:24

In a town not far from

22:26

Moscow tourists,

22:28

were arrested when they were trying

22:31

to put explosives into

22:33

the basement or one of

22:36

the apartment's houses, and

22:38

this was the, immediacy

22:42

broadcast of five all major

22:44

news stations in Russia and

22:47

when, now militia tried

22:49

to investigate who those people are

22:51

they found out that their officers

22:55

The fsb

22:59

At that moment central

23:02

if as we office and more school made

23:04

the statement said others,

23:06

people will not terrorists and

23:09

indeed this was an exercise

23:11

conducted. by the

23:13

garment Then.

23:16

Same day's twenty set of September,

23:19

the Russian government started to warm girls

23:21

and actually started second,

23:24

Chechen was the same day and at that

23:26

point you're he had seen enough so.

23:28

, hopped on a plane to Russia start investigating

23:30

and person well sourced full not

23:33

single dose on new versus I've

23:35

done this, completely alone

23:38

in absolute. and

23:41

to I've met many, different

23:43

people are some of them

23:45

happened to be of for marquee

23:47

gb officers he started to

23:49

suspect the something big was going on that

23:52

maybe yeltsin improvements ah political opportunity

23:54

know this history with that yeltsin

23:56

cooking and the epa speaks for all conspiring

23:59

to get put in leg

24:00

My. Manufacturing a war because

24:02

remember it was going to be really difficult

24:04

to get Poon elected, so they needed

24:06

way to make them look for rowing presidential

24:09

as year, he. Thought that it was at this be planted

24:11

bomb in his apartment buildings and

24:13

Yeltsin improve use, the fall out as

24:15

an excuse to start second war with.

24:19

And when I said journal picture

24:22

of what's going on I.

24:25

approach the only person

24:28

From Surface V hull, my new

24:30

and who might trust?

24:32

Alexander Litvinenko, who

24:34

was a high ranking as be up.

24:36

A real insight I ask

24:39

you one question that was loose as

24:41

possible in, September

24:43

nine two nights a group

24:45

of officers would receive

24:47

this order. on to blow up

24:49

build its and was as they would

24:52

do six And what

24:54

we need the told me that of course I mean

24:56

shouldn't have. One.

25:02

Then, of course, know they will do

25:04

it because that's was they

25:06

do.

25:10

Quick that now. Live in Django was

25:12

already in trouble with the government.

25:14

Because a year before he met uri he

25:16

and some other as be officers went public

25:19

with some damaging information about the FSB

25:22

information. that revealed deep corruption

25:24

The result, he was arrested

25:27

and later, at least, and. This

25:29

was all when putting was still the head of the fsb

25:32

The the security services and Russia were

25:34

tight knit group that did not tolerate

25:36

dissent. Linda Django was clearly

25:38

set up. Not so that he was willing

25:40

to put himself and his family in danger to

25:43

help prove what year he suspected that

25:45

Poon and the fsb were behind apartment

25:48

bombings.

25:48

Though the stakes are high for and yet

25:50

go and. gary numan

25:53

And that this point I told you

25:55

well. Would you consider

25:57

escaping from? Then.

26:03

That money and go agreed.

26:05

So. I picked him up when

26:08

you cross the border to daughter the,

26:10

moment presume I'm from Georgia and

26:12

news that he's alright, his

26:15

family of flew from Moscow

26:17

to. Malaga made semi, Malaga

26:21

move them from Mala got to tour

26:23

fear most litvinenko from Georgia

26:25

to Torquay Anthem steal stuff

26:28

November one months later

26:30

she meant that. in london ants

26:34

execs this six years later

26:36

on soft of november two thousand

26:39

and six

26:40

The woman radiation.

26:43

poisoning in effect Within

26:45

the first time, the fsb had pointed dissidents

26:48

even if they were living abroad.

26:51

Urib eventually concluded that the fsb

26:54

had perpetrated more than one terror

26:56

attack in Russia under Vladimir Putin's

26:58

direct orders all. of

27:00

this is detailed and the bookie coauthored

27:03

with litvinenko

27:04

Khan. Blowing up and,

27:06

we should be clear the some experts

27:08

who dispute some of the specifics of

27:10

couldn't the legit role in the bombing, for

27:13

was also true that poon. Has never denied

27:15

any the claims in the, book and

27:17

the fact remains that in the spring of two

27:19

thousand who was elected to his first

27:22

term. as president of

27:24

russia

27:35

Support for this podcast and the following message

27:37

come from the American Jewish World Service

27:40

working together for more than thirty years

27:42

to build a more just and equitable world,

27:45

learn more at J. W. S.

27:47

DOT. org. J.

27:52

Part three. Though hard like fun. The

27:54

upper and.

28:01

Oh, have, like, suddenly, is so

28:03

this is?

28:04

The OH thought by rapidly will cause

28:06

a and see, and another you might think

28:08

of when you hear the words Russian nationalists

28:11

to experts from Zimbabwe and Kenya

28:13

move to Moscow to study medicine and the early

28:15

two thousand.

28:21

And the music video is the best part is.

28:23

After the bunch of slow, my videos of to

28:26

and coming out of su.

28:27

Walking down a hallway for armed guards

28:29

shaking hands as people their tanks rolling

28:31

down the streets, things on fire

28:34

soldiers in combat. The next to

28:36

him, look like real tough guy. That

28:38

perception is everything the pool.

28:40

There was no surprise that when you get real

28:42

power, he set out to get rid of any

28:44

doubts, he was fit to rule. No

28:46

one would think of him as wrote in like anymore

28:49

the, first thing that Vladimir person

28:51

does when he's or takes power and ninety nine

28:53

ninety thousand. is say control

28:55

of tv

28:57

Peter Pomeranz of he, the Russian born

28:59

British journalist who actually has a pretty

29:01

unique perspective, he worked as

29:03

TV producer in Russia and.

29:05

The other and was really by

29:07

creating him into the sort of much a superhero

29:09

and television and, launching

29:12

small, very deadly war

29:14

in Chechnya. he went from being at

29:16

the mosque which apparently with his nickname in

29:18

the security services to being kind

29:20

of you know mixture of donald trump

29:22

and sly stallone and or them rolled into

29:24

one

29:28

Any the person's the power?

29:29

Three tasty the scenes and as over

29:32

the topic jersey mentioned earlier well.

29:35

they began at home so they'll be

29:37

precise scenes once week when

29:39

he would suffer from the his own government

29:41

said you dig a really bad job

29:43

You could have acts against the boss and the scenes

29:46

you sit at the end of a long table like

29:48

is like Lucy Lou in the

29:50

what's, it called again kill Bill At don't call Yoni

29:53

in her and godfather Id Sicilian physicists

29:55

his longtime say hey. i see

29:57

you've got problem with a you know with your with you

30:00

The ambulances you know to fight another governor

30:02

or A. You got an unresolved labor.

30:04

Then you remember that story about the

30:06

pen we open with as association? That's

30:08

basically what Pool and was doing their flexing

30:11

his.

30:12

I. Know people say poussin is a must see dorm

30:14

any sort of he knows how to work with the math,

30:17

yes, but it's much more cases him imitating

30:19

that behavior because. Russians respect

30:21

access Kansas and near the

30:23

heroes the ninety nineties they they're the ones with

30:25

the money in the women.

30:30

It's pretty extraordinary faint

30:32

to me just as him and my reporter's eye

30:34

and ear how he's grown over these years

30:37

again and Zumaya some you know a middling

30:39

former lieutenant colonel in the KGB

30:42

two. and man and the on top the

30:44

kremlin for all these years is an extraordinary

30:47

evolution and that's exactly the point

30:49

Hooton Rise was epic. We.

30:52

Went from a nobody in the early nineteen nineties

30:54

to the country's president by the end of the decade,

30:57

and he is story that maybe embellished in

30:59

the media, I mean. He controls it, but

31:01

still it's astonishing, and it's

31:03

a story that resonates with lot of Russian.

31:06

I ever saw his face here which.

31:08

i use whenever have

31:11

Or something that as need it's

31:13

what's this call them a secure line.

31:16

This is Marguerite as see money on to the

31:18

editor in chief and T, which is an English

31:20

language news channel, as funded by the Russian

31:22

government. In it's seen by many

31:24

as the propaganda machine for the Kremlin. The

31:27

was interviewed and NPR's is morning Edition a couple

31:29

years ago.

31:30

And that creepy just heard to talking

31:32

about a special phone line in her office

31:34

that connects directly to the Kremlin.

31:36

Then she went on to describe why so

31:38

many Russians revere poodle. The understand.

31:42

The Vs. Fashion. In about

31:44

forty. Then I think this

31:46

is something that is completely. The not

31:48

being understood.

31:49

The way and in the mainstream gets

31:52

and the reason why it's,

31:54

not being understood. is

31:56

because people didn't all is here so the ninety

31:59

Oh, of the.

32:01

People I knew wanted to leave because. We

32:04

saw country as something horrible, falling

32:06

apart that will only continue to fall apart

32:09

and then. He wouldn't. And

32:12

he loves older. And

32:14

we saw it in our lives people

32:16

around started first

32:18

of all they stopped being angry then.

32:21

they stopped Having one

32:23

pair of shoes for both my sister

32:26

and me know and love.

32:27

And my mom'so so fussy of us want

32:30

the of normal shoes. It all

32:32

seemed match.

32:34

And when and thing I wanted I'm

32:36

doing this, it would be an extremely

32:39

difficult tasks to find a single

32:41

person who lived worse. The for

32:44

putting the now very

32:46

good.

32:48

Europe the my, junior

32:51

realize he made his fortune, but

32:53

he gets to of the of rather than nothing really good argument

32:56

he said he, should have a business

32:59

stay afloat more did he live fuso

33:01

conflicts with if it doesn't, listen

33:03

and. see if caught fish

33:07

to develop

33:21

The episode first aired in two thousand.

33:23

The field.

33:26

That led to this week's show I'm running out

33:29

of Louis.

33:29

Read, not that said that, and you been listening

33:31

to throw line.

33:32

(NPR) With the show was reduced by run,

33:35

Deny Eighteen includes Jamie

33:37

Your started and of my own swoop.

33:39

There was no Yoyos, Michelle

33:41

Lands, mm nice.

33:43

The ending, of my

33:45

dreams, and

33:47

special thanks to our some is Adam Sept

33:49

Rogers and Jane Deal with the original

33:52

music, with find such. as

33:54

reflect if you like something

33:56

you heard are you have an idea please

34:00

Emmett yard that or as it is up on

34:02

Twitter at NPR through line of,

34:04

you enjoyed this

34:08

The by.

34:10

Hey let's. the code again

34:21

This. "Message comes from NPR sponsor

34:23

State Farm, they can insure your home

34:25

and car with surprisingly great

34:28

rates on both because you don't have

34:30

to give up what you love for great" Insurance

34:32

like a good neighbor state farm is

34:34

there call or go to state farm

34:36

dot.com com to get quote today?