Summary
Overview
This exclusive club episode explores Vladimir Putin's rapid rise from deputy mayor of St. Petersburg to leader of Russia during the chaotic 1990s. Mark Galeotti joins as a special guest to explain how Putin's reputation as a loyal, discreet 'bagman' propelled him through increasingly powerful positions in Moscow's murky political world, ultimately positioning him as Boris Yeltsin's successor amid a system rife with corruption and oligarchic influence.
Putin's Transition from St. Petersburg to Moscow
After Mayor Sobchak loses his re-election in St. Petersburg, Putin finds himself out of work but with a valuable reputation. His track record as a loyal, efficient, and discreet operator—someone who could handle dirty work while keeping his superiors clean—makes him attractive to Moscow power brokers. Putin's demonstrated loyalty includes later helping Sobchak escape an arrest warrant by arranging a private flight to Switzerland, cementing his reputation for protecting his patrons.
- Sobchak loses re-election as mayor of St. Petersburg, leaving Putin without a position
- Putin had built a reputation as a loyal, efficient, and discreet bagman who does the dirty work
- The old boy network of ex-KGB officers helps Putin find opportunities in Moscow
- Putin later arranges a private flight to spirit Sobchak away to Switzerland ahead of an arrest warrant
" He has made a reputation for himself as a loyal and efficient and discreet bagman. As the sort of person you want as your deputy to do all the things, all the dirty work that needs to be done, and to ensure that you live an easy and highly solvent life. "
The Presidential Property Management Agency: A Lucrative Position
Putin accepts a position as deputy head of the Presidential Property Management Agency, which sounds mundane but is actually one of the most corrupt parts of an already corrupt system. The agency head sees Putin as someone who can act as a 'firebreak'—handling all the dirty deals while keeping his superior insulated. During this time in Moscow, Putin becomes known not for being interesting himself, but for performing an interesting and valuable function in an environment where trust is scarce.
- Putin becomes deputy head of the Presidential Property Management Agency, one of the most corrupt elements of the system
- The position allows Putin to act as a firebreak, ensuring dirty deals get done without implicating his superior
- Moscow's political environment is very different from St. Petersburg, with everyone tracking rising stars
- Putin's trustworthiness becomes his defining attribute in an environment where no one knows who to trust
" At a time when no one knows who they can trust, Putin seems to be trustworthy and that is actually quite a talent, quite an attribute in this particular environment. "
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