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Exiled journalists publish grim biography of Putin, detailing 'limitless cruelty'

Roman Badanin and Mikhail Rubin draw on personal experience of state intimidation in forensically detailed portrait of Russian president

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time1 min
Two Russian journalists forced into exile after raids by the FSB intelligence service have published a biography of Vladimir Putin that presents him as a leader capable of 'limitless cruelty', drawing on their own encounters with the state's climate of fear and violence.

Roman Badanin and Mikhail Rubin, who were driven abroad in 2021 following early-morning raids on their Moscow homes, have released a forensically detailed biography of the Russian president. The book paints a grim portrait of a man who has imposed a climate of fear and violence on Russia.

Badanin recalled being woken at 6am on 29 June 2021 by a voice outside his family's apartment shouting about a scratched car in the courtyard. When he opened the door, masked men pushed their way in. At the same time, a similar raid was taking place at Rubin's home. The masked men were officers of the FSB, the Russian intelligence service.

The journalists said their choice was 'prison or exile', and their biography draws on that experience to describe a leader whose capacity for cruelty is without limit. The book offers a detailed account of Putin's rule, informed by the authors' own brushes with state repression.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The biography offers a first-hand account from journalists who experienced state intimidation, lending credibility to their portrait of Putin.
  • It highlights the ongoing crackdown on independent media in Russia and the personal costs for those who report on the Kremlin.
  • The book may shape international understanding of Putin's leadership as the war in Ukraine continues and Russia's political repression intensifies.

Background

The raids on Badanin and Rubin in June 2021 were part of a broader crackdown on independent journalism in Russia. Their outlet, Proekt, had been investigating government corruption. Both journalists subsequently left Russia, joining a growing community of exiled Russian media figures who continue to report from abroad. The Guardian reported on the raids at the time.

Key Perspectives

The authors (Badanin and Rubin): They present Putin as a leader of 'limitless cruelty', based on their research and personal experience of FSB intimidation. Their choice of exile over prison underscores the dangers of independent journalism in Russia. The Kremlin: The Russian government has consistently denied accusations of a climate of fear and has labelled independent journalists as foreign agents or extremists. It is likely to dismiss the biography as biased or unreliable. Critics/Skeptics: Some may question the objectivity of journalists who were personally targeted by the state. Others may argue the biography risks oversimplifying Putin's motivations in a way that obscures broader systemic and historical factors.

What to Watch

  • International reactions and potential bans on the biography in Russia and other authoritarian states.
  • Further retaliation against the authors' families or associates still in Russia.
  • Whether the book influences Western policy debates on engagement with Russia.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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