Masha Gessen, a Russian-American journalist and activist renowned for their insights on Russian politics, shares gripping stories about Vladimir Putin's early years and the political climate of 1990s Russia. They discuss the chilling apartment bombings and how fear and manipulation shaped public opinion, paving the way for Putin’s rise. Gessen also highlights the severe consequences for dissenters like Alexei Navalny and draws sobering parallels between Putin's tactics and those of other authoritarian leaders, including Trump.
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Starovoitova's Assassination
Masha Gessen recounts the assassination of Galina Starovoitova in St. Petersburg in 1998.
This event highlighted the distinct political culture of St. Petersburg, marked by fear, suppression, and political assassinations.
insights INSIGHT
St. Petersburg's Political Culture
St. Petersburg's political culture differed significantly from the rest of Russia.
It was characterized by fear, secrecy, and intimidation, unlike the more open and vibrant political landscape elsewhere.
insights INSIGHT
Yeltsin's Choice
Yeltsin chose Putin as his successor due to his unremarkable nature, believing he would be grateful and easily manipulated.
Putin's KGB background and role in shaping St. Petersburg's suppressive political culture were overlooked.
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This incisive book provides an essential guide to understanding and recovering from the calamitous corrosion of American democracy over the past few years. Thanks to the special perspective that is the legacy of a Soviet childhood and two decades covering the resurgence of totalitarianism in Russia, Masha Gessen has a sixth sense for the manifestations of autocracy—and the unique cross-cultural fluency to delineate their emergence to Americans. Gessen not only anatomizes the corrosion of the institutions and cultural norms we hoped would save us but also tells us the story of how a short few years changed us from a people who saw ourselves as a nation of immigrants to a populace haggling over a border wall, heirs to a degraded sense of truth, meaning, and possibility. 'Surviving Autocracy' is an inventory of ravages and a call to account but also a beacon to recovery—and to the hope of what comes next.
MeidasTouch is proud to bring you a sneak peek of our new original series, KREMLIN FILE. For more episodes, subscribe to KREMLIN FILE wherever you get podcasts.
Hosted by renowned researcher Olga Lautman and political activist Monique Camarra, KREMLIN FILE takes audiences on a riveting journey through the rise of Putin and the spread of authoritarianism across the globe and into the Trump White House. Featuring interviews with Masha Gessen, Yuri Felshtinsky, Bill Browder, and Craig Unger, Season One dives head first into Putin’s Russia and their ongoing active measures campaign around the world.
New episodes drop Thursdays beginning August 5th 2021. Subscribe here or wherever you listen to podcasts for more episodes! Meidas Media + bunker crew
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About this Episode:
Masha Gessen, the rise of Putin
Olga and Mo journey back to the 90’s with Russian-born journalist Masha Gessen who describes their odd introduction to Vladimir Putin by way of Saint Petersburg and beyond
The MeidasTouch Podcast 
