Intelligence Squared Putin, The Soviet Union and The Rise of Russian Imperialism, with Mikhail Zygar (Part One)
29 snips
Dec 14, 2025 Mikhail Zygar, an exiled Russian journalist and author of The Dark Side of the Earth, examines the collapse of the Soviet Union and how it shaped modern Russia. He argues that the end of the USSR was not a final chapter but the beginning of a new narrative leading to Putin's rise. Zygar explores the decay of institutions, the influence of key figures like Emma Yazova during the 1991 coup, and the dangers of cynicism in politics. His insights challenge Western perceptions, suggesting that Russia's past holds significant lessons for today's political landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Collapse Wasn't The Final Act
- The 1991 Soviet collapse was treated as an endpoint but actually set the stage for recurring struggles and continuities.
- Mikhail Zygar argues we missed key actors and that the story continued into the present, shaping Putin-era politics.
Coup Figures Live On In Today's Regime
- The failed August 1991 coup's participants were later rehabilitated and admired by today's Kremlin elite.
- Zygar links contemporary Russian authoritarianism to those conservative Soviet forces rather than to a clean break.
People, Not Just Politics, Drove Collapse
- The Soviet Union fell because many Soviet citizens rejected the system and began to believe in alternative futures.
- Zygar emphasizes popular belief and agency as central drivers of the collapse.
