Tony Robinson's Cunningcast What Drives Vladimir PUTIN?
Oct 2, 2025
Anna Arutunyan, Russian-American journalist who reported from Moscow and analyses Russian society. Mark Galeotti, historian and Russia security expert with decades of Kremlin study. They probe Putin as a pragmatic, adaptive leader shaped by circumstance. Conversations cover Crimea’s place in Russian memory, shifting iterations of Putin, whether 2014 was premeditated, and how risk aversion and symbols like nuclear weapons shape Kremlin behaviour.
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Moscow's Night Of Celebration
- Mark Galeotti recalls the night of Crimea's annexation when Moscow celebrated with horns and flags.
- He says that reaction wasn't Kremlin-organized but a genuine popular feeling that Crimea was 'theirs'.
Pragmatic, Situational Leadership
- Anna Arutunyan argues Putin is driven by the needs of the moment rather than a fixed ideology.
- He has shown different iterations across his rule, shifting with circumstances and audiences.
No Single Grand Plan For Ukraine
- Mark Galeotti says there was no grand masterplan to capture Ukraine in 2014.
- Kremlin indecision and internal debates shaped the incremental moves like Crimea's annexation.