Putin, Russia and the West

Episode 1

Taking Control

59 mins

The inside story of how Vladimir Putin, a consummate political operator with a background in the KGB, become a valued ally of the West. After eight years as President of Russia and four more as Prime Minister, Putin is stubbornly holding onto power. He has announced his intention to return as President, and declared his United Russia party the winner in parliamentary elections that have widely been seen as fraudulent, leading to mass protests in Moscow and elsewhere. Featuring contributions from Putin's top colleagues and the Western statesmen who have clashed with him, this insightful documentary asks when his policies began to provoke deep concern in Washington and London. It looks back at how, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Putin quickly aligned Russia with the West, surprising many in the Kremlin. The world had changed - but at home Putin was becoming increasingly authoritarian.