Who rules Russia today? An analysis of Vladimir Putin and his political project (I)

Abstract

This research, whose results are presented in two separate articles, tries to offer a wider and more accurate view of Putin’s role as Russian president, supported by direct evidence. Part One, which is published here, is focused on his biographical antecedents: the first section deals with his official biographies and their failures; section two presents a detailed analysis of his career in the KGB; section three deals with the start of his political career beside Anatoli Sobchak, and the influence that the mayor of St. Petersburg may have had on him.