Introduction
In "The Man Without A Face," author Masha Gessen provides a compelling and detailed account of Vladimir Putin's unexpected ascent to power in Russia. This book offers a fascinating look into the life and career of one of the world's most enigmatic and controversial leaders. From his humble beginnings in post-World War II Leningrad to his current position as the formidable President of Russia, Putin's journey is filled with intrigue, manipulation, and a ruthless pursuit of power.
Gessen's work paints a picture of a man who was never meant to lead Russia but who, through a combination of circumstances, cunning, and opportunism, managed to consolidate his grip on the country. The book delves into Putin's background, his time in the KGB, his political maneuvering, and the methods he employed to silence opposition and amass wealth and influence.
As we explore the key ideas presented in this book, we'll uncover the complex web of events and relationships that shaped Putin's rise to power and his subsequent transformation of Russia's political landscape.
Putin's Early Years: A Fighter in the Making
Vladimir Putin's story begins in the bleak aftermath of World War II in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Born in 1952, Putin grew up in a small, cramped apartment with his parents, who had already lost two children during the war. Despite the hardships, the Putin family managed to enjoy some luxuries, such as a telephone and a television, thanks to his father's connections with the secret police.
From a young age, Putin displayed a propensity for aggression and fighting. He channeled much of this energy into practicing Sambo, a Russian martial art, but was still frequently involved in altercations. This combative nature led to his exclusion from the Young Pioneers, the Communist youth organization.
Interestingly, Putin's interest in espionage began early. At the age of 16, he approached the KGB about joining their ranks. Although he was initially turned away and told to gain more education or military experience, this early encounter set the stage for his future career path.
Putin's determination to join the KGB led him to apply to Leningrad University, where he was accepted despite not being an exceptional student. This decision would prove to be a crucial stepping stone in his journey towards power.
KGB Career: From Bureaucrat to Witness of History
After graduating from Leningrad University in 1975, Putin finally achieved his dream of joining the KGB. However, his career in the secret service was far from the glamorous spy work he might have envisioned. For most of his time with the KGB, Putin was relegated to bureaucratic tasks, pushing papers and writing reports.
In the 1980s, Putin was posted to Dresden, East Germany. While this might seem like an exciting assignment, Putin's work there was largely mundane. He spent his days collecting newspaper clippings and compiling reports. His most significant achievement during this time was purchasing a U.S. Army manual for 800 German marks.
Despite the tedium of his work, Putin's time in East Germany coincided with one of the most pivotal moments in modern history: the fall of the Berlin Wall. As communist resistance movements gained momentum across Eastern Europe, Putin remained loyal to the KGB and the Soviet Union.
In 1989, as the Berlin Wall fell and protests erupted across East Germany, Putin found himself at the center of historic events. When protesters approached the Dresden offices where he worked, Putin claims to have personally addressed them. However, the lack of support from Moscow during this tumultuous time left Putin feeling abandoned and disillusioned.
As the Soviet Union began to crumble, Putin and his wife returned to Leningrad, where he would soon find himself navigating the complex and rapidly changing political landscape of post-Soviet Russia.
Navigating the Fall of the Soviet Union
Upon returning to Russia, Putin encountered a nation in the throes of dramatic change. The attempted coup against Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991 marked a turning point in Soviet history, and Putin found himself carefully maneuvering through the political upheaval.
During this time, Putin became an advisor to Anatoly Sobchak, a law professor turned pro-democracy politician. However, Putin's loyalty to the KGB remained, and he played both sides of the coup attempt to protect his own interests. When the coup failed, Putin claimed to have resigned from the KGB before the event, although there were suspicions that this resignation letter was conveniently "lost."
This period of Putin's career demonstrates his political acumen and ability to adapt to changing circumstances. By aligning himself with Sobchak while maintaining connections to the old guard, Putin positioned himself to take advantage of the opportunities that would arise in the chaotic years following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Wild 1990s: Corruption and Opportunity
The 1990s in Russia were marked by economic turmoil, political instability, and widespread corruption. It was during this time that Putin, along with his mentor Sobchak, began to amass wealth and influence through questionable means.
One notable incident involved Putin negotiating a deal to import meat into Russia during a food shortage. In exchange for the imports, Putin agreed to export natural resources worth far more than the imported goods. The deal was riddled with irregularities, and Putin allegedly received a substantial kickback. This episode highlights Putin's willingness to exploit his position for personal gain, a trait that would become increasingly apparent as his power grew.
As Sobchak rose to power in Saint Petersburg, Putin remained by his side, benefiting from his mentor's protection and influence. When corruption charges were brought against Sobchak in 1996, Putin played a key role in helping him escape to Paris. This loyalty to Sobchak would later prove beneficial to Putin's own career.
During this period, Putin also began to build connections in Moscow, eventually becoming the deputy of presidential property management. This position would serve as a stepping stone to even greater power within the Russian government.
Putin's Rise to Power: From Obscurity to the Presidency
Putin's ascent to the Russian presidency was as swift as it was unexpected. In the late 1990s, President Boris Yeltsin was facing mounting political pressure and feared prosecution by his opponents once out of office. Yeltsin and his inner circle, known as "The Family," began searching for a successor who could protect their interests.
Putin, who had by then become head of the FSB (the successor to the KGB), caught the attention of Yeltsin and his advisors. They saw in Putin a loyal, energetic, and seemingly compliant figure who could be trusted to safeguard their positions after Yeltsin's departure.
Oligarch Boris Berezovsky played a crucial role in Putin's rise, admiring what he perceived as Putin's modest lifestyle and resistance to bribery. Berezovsky used his influence to convince Yeltsin to appoint Putin as prime minister and helped create a positive public image for the relatively unknown bureaucrat.
On December 31, 1999, in a move that shocked the world, Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned and appointed Putin as acting president. This sudden transfer of power catapulted Putin from relative obscurity to the highest office in Russia, despite his lack of political experience.
The speed and nature of Putin's rise meant that even senior Russian politicians knew very little about him. At the World Economic Forum in January 2000, when asked about Putin, they could offer no substantial information about the man who now held the reins of power in Russia.
Consolidating Power: The Chechen Crisis and Constitutional Changes
Once in power, Putin wasted no time in consolidating his position and reshaping Russia's political landscape. A series of apartment bombings in September 1999, blamed on Chechen separatists, provided Putin with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his leadership and push for greater executive powers.
However, suspicions arose about the true nature of these bombings. An incident in Ryazan, where FSB agents were caught planting explosives in an apartment building, led many to believe that the bombings were actually orchestrated by the Russian secret service to create a climate of fear and justify military action in Chechnya.
Putin used the Chechen crisis to portray himself as a strong leader capable of protecting Russia from terrorism. This image was further reinforced during the Moscow theater hostage crisis in 2002 and the Beslan school siege in 2004. In both cases, Putin's response was characterized by a ruthless use of force, resulting in significant civilian casualties.
Following these events, Putin pushed for sweeping changes to Russia's political system. He introduced measures to appoint regional governors rather than have them elected, changed the voting system for the lower house of parliament, and created a special chamber of deputies to review all bills. These changes effectively centralized power in the Kremlin and weakened democratic institutions.
Putin's handling of these crises and the subsequent political reforms marked a turning point in his presidency. He had successfully transformed his image from that of an unknown bureaucrat to a powerful leader willing to take drastic measures to protect Russia's interests.
Silencing Opposition: The Climate of Fear
As Putin tightened his grip on power, he created a climate of fear that effectively silenced opposition and dissent. Those who dared to challenge him often found themselves facing severe consequences, ranging from financial ruin to imprisonment or even death.
One of the first targets was Vladimir Gusinsky, a media mogul who had created Russia's first independent television channel. When Gusinsky's network aired content critical of Putin, including a program suggesting secret police involvement in the 1999 apartment bombings, he quickly found himself under attack. Armed men raided his media company, and Gusinsky was later arrested on fraud charges. He eventually exchanged his media empire for his freedom and went into exile.
Even those who had once supported Putin were not immune to his wrath. Boris Berezovsky, the oligarch who had played a crucial role in Putin's rise to power, became a vocal critic of the president's anti-democratic reforms. As a result, Berezovsky was charged with fraud and forced to flee abroad, his assets stripped or sold at artificially low prices.
Putin's regime also targeted those investigating sensitive issues. Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian secret service officer, was poisoned in London after revealing information about the Moscow theater siege. Journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who had reported on human rights abuses in Chechnya, was shot dead in 2006. These high-profile cases sent a clear message to potential whistleblowers and critics: challenging Putin could be deadly.
The fate of Mikhail Khodorkovsky serves as a particularly stark example of what could happen to those who opposed Putin. Once Russia's richest man and head of the oil company Yukos, Khodorkovsky began speaking out against corruption and funding opposition groups. He was subsequently arrested on charges of tax evasion and fraud, subjected to a show trial, and sent to a Siberian penal colony. His oil company was then auctioned off to Putin's allies at a fraction of its value.
These cases illustrate how Putin systematically eliminated threats to his power, whether they came from the media, business, or political opposition. The message was clear: those who challenged Putin's rule would face severe consequences.
Putin's Wealth and Corruption
Despite initially being viewed as incorruptible when he entered politics in the 1990s, Putin's time in power has been marked by rampant corruption and personal enrichment. Estimates suggest that Putin has amassed a fortune of around $40 billion, including assets such as a $1 billion palace on the Black Sea.
Putin's wealth accumulation methods range from large-scale schemes to bizarrely petty theft. On the grand scale, he's known to have taken cuts from oligarchs' donations meant for medical equipment and facilities. On a smaller, yet more brazen level, Putin has been witnessed stealing in public, such as the incident with Robert Kraft's Super Bowl ring, which Putin tried on and never returned.
The case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky serves as a stark example of what happens to those who challenge Putin's corrupt system. Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man, spoke out against corruption and funded opposition groups. As a result, he was arrested, subjected to a show trial, and sent to a Siberian penal colony. His oil company, Yukos, was then auctioned off to Putin's allies at a fraction of its true value.
This pattern of eliminating threats and seizing assets has been a hallmark of Putin's rule. Those who accumulate too much wealth or influence independent of Putin's circle often find themselves facing criminal charges, with their assets subsequently redistributed to Putin's allies.
Crushing Democracy and Free Media
Putin's rise to power marked the beginning of the end for Russia's brief experiment with democracy in the 1990s. Upon becoming president, Putin quickly moved to consolidate his power and restrict democratic freedoms.
In the 2000 presidential election, Putin won with 53% of the vote without even running a campaign. Within months of taking office, he had already begun to alter the structure of the Russian government. He changed the upper house of parliament, making it an appointed rather than an elected body, and gave himself the power to remove members on any grounds.
Control of the media was a crucial part of Putin's strategy. Within a year of his presidency, all federal television channels were under state control. This allowed Putin to shape public opinion and limit the spread of dissenting voices.
The 2004 presidential election saw Putin win with an even larger margin of 71% of the vote. As he approached the end of his second term in 2008, Putin maneuvered around term limits by selecting Dmitry Medvedev as his successor while he himself became prime minister. During this time, presidential term limits were extended to six years.
Putin's government actively suppressed reformers, activists, and anyone who challenged his rule. Chess master Garry Kasparov's attempt to campaign against Putin in 2005 was thwarted by sudden venue closures and media blackouts. The 2011 parliamentary elections were marred by widespread reports of fraud, with Putin's party claiming 49% of the vote despite independent observers reporting major irregularities.
In 2012, the Russian parliament passed laws prohibiting foreign funding for non-governmental organizations and broadened the definitions of espionage and treason to potentially apply to any citizen. The same year saw the imprisonment of the punk band Pussy Riot for two years after they performed an anti-Putin song in a cathedral.
These actions demonstrate Putin's systematic dismantling of democratic institutions and his creation of a political environment where opposition is effectively silenced.
Putin's Public Image and Personal Character
Putin has carefully cultivated a public image of strength and masculinity, often through staged photo opportunities and media events. Photos of Putin riding shirtless on horseback, subduing wild animals, or engaging in various athletic activities have become infamous worldwide. However, many of these events have been revealed to be carefully orchestrated PR stunts, with animals often being brought from zoos or captured beforehand for Putin's "heroic" encounters.
Despite his claims of being an "expert in human relations," those who have interacted closely with Putin describe him as a poor communicator lacking in empathy. This disconnect between his public persona and private character is perhaps best illustrated by his response to national tragedies.
The sinking of the Kursk submarine in 2000 provides a stark example of Putin's seeming indifference to human suffering. When the nuclear submarine and its crew of 118 men became stranded in the Barents Sea, Putin initially refused international assistance. He remained on vacation for several days after the accident, and when he finally addressed the situation, he appeared more concerned about the loss of equipment than the loss of life.
During an interview on Larry King Live, when asked about what happened to the submarine, Putin's cold response was simply, "It sank." This callous remark encapsulates the disconnect between Putin's carefully crafted public image and his apparent lack of genuine empathy.
The Impact of Putin's Rule on Russia and Beyond
Putin's two decades in power have fundamentally reshaped Russia's political landscape and its relationship with the world. Internally, Russia has seen a significant rollback of democratic freedoms, with opposition voices silenced, media controlled, and civil society restricted.
Economically, while some Russians have prospered under Putin's rule, particularly those close to his inner circle, inequality has widened dramatically. The concentration of wealth in the hands of a few oligarchs loyal to Putin has created a system of crony capitalism that stifles innovation and economic diversification.
On the international stage, Putin has pursued an aggressive foreign policy aimed at reasserting Russia's status as a global power. This has included military interventions in Georgia and Ukraine, support for the Assad regime in Syria, and alleged interference in elections in Western democracies.
Putin's rule has also seen a resurgence of Russian nationalism and a glorification of the country's Soviet past. This has been accompanied by increasing tensions with the West, reminiscent of Cold War era rivalries.
The long-term consequences of Putin's governance are likely to be felt for generations. The weakening of democratic institutions, the entrenchment of corruption, and the cultivation of a political culture based on fear and loyalty to a strong leader will be challenging to reverse.
Final Thoughts: The Legacy of Vladimir Putin
"The Man Without A Face" presents a compelling and disturbing portrait of Vladimir Putin's rise to power and his transformation of Russia. From an unremarkable KGB bureaucrat to one of the world's most powerful and controversial leaders, Putin's journey is a testament to his political cunning and ruthless ambition.
Masha Gessen's work reveals a leader who has systematically dismantled democratic institutions, silenced opposition, and amassed enormous personal wealth at the expense of his country's development. Putin's Russia is one where power is concentrated in the hands of a small elite, dissent is dangerous, and the line between state and personal interests is blurred.
The book raises important questions about the nature of power, the fragility of democratic institutions, and the long-term consequences of authoritarian rule. It serves as a cautionary tale about how quickly a country can slide from nascent democracy to autocracy when the right conditions and personalities align.
As we reflect on Putin's legacy, it's clear that his impact extends far beyond Russia's borders. His model of governance has inspired other autocratic leaders around the world, and his aggressive foreign policy has reshaped global geopolitics.
Understanding Putin's rise and methods of maintaining power is crucial not just for comprehending modern Russia, but also for recognizing and resisting similar trends in other parts of the world. "The Man Without A Face" provides valuable insights into the mind and methods of one of the 21st century's most influential and controversial figures.
In the end, the story of Vladimir Putin is not just about one man's unlikely rise to power, but about the resilience of authoritarian impulses in the modern world and the ongoing struggle between democratic aspirations and the allure of strong-man rule. As long as Putin remains in power, and perhaps even beyond, his shadow will continue to loom large over Russia and the world stage.