Michail Zygar Books

On the centennial of the Russian Revolution comes a bold new interpretation of its origins, putting the intellectual and cultural masses--not just the Bolsheviks--on the frontlines of the revolt.

'History is made up of myths,' writes the renowned Russian dissident journalist Mikhail Zygar. 'Alas, our myths led us to the fascism of 2022. It is time to expose them.' Drawing from his perilous career investigating the frontiers of the Russian empire, Zygar reveals how 350 years of propaganda, bad historical scholarship, folk tales and fantasy spurred his nation into war with Ukraine. A noted expert on the Kremlin with unparalleled access to hundreds of players in the current conflict - from politicians to oligarchs, gangsters to comedians (not least Zelensky himself) - Zygar chronicles the power struggles from which today's politics grew, and digs out the essential truths from behind layers of seductive legend. By surveying the strange, complex record of Russo-Ukrainian relations, WAR AND PUNISHMENT reveals exactly how the largest nation on Earth lost its senses. A work of history can't undo the past or transform the present, but sometimes it can shape the future.

An extraordinary behind-the-scenes portrait of the court of Vladimir Putin since his ascent to the Russian presidency in 2000, and the many moods of modern Russia, from the country's most visible and independent journalist.

"History is made up of myths," asserts Mikhail Zygar, a prominent Russian dissident journalist. He argues that these myths have led Russia to the fascism of 2022, emphasizing the need to expose them. Drawing from his extensive career investigating the Russian empire, Zygar illustrates how 350 years of propaganda, flawed historical scholarship, and folklore fueled the nation’s war with Ukraine. He explores how a German monk's fear of the Ottoman Empire birthed the myth of a united Russian world, and how spy novels inspired Vladimir Putin's KGB ambitions. He also examines Alexander Pushkin's admiration for Byron, which led to the slandering of a Cossack chief, and highlights Putin's misjudgment of Volodymyr Zelensky, a rising TV comic whose satire turned serious. With unique access to key figures in the current conflict—politicians, oligarchs, gangsters, and comedians—Zygar chronicles the power struggles that shaped today's politics while uncovering essential truths behind alluring legends. By analyzing the complex history of Russo-Ukrainian relations, he reveals how the largest nation on Earth lost its senses. While history cannot change the past, it can influence the future, and this narrative illustrates that very potential.

Эта книга рассказывает об истории России на всем протяжении правления Владимира Путина, с 2000 по 2015 год. В основу книги легли документы, открытые источники и десятки уникальных личных интервью, которые автор взял у действующих лиц из ближайшего окружения Владимира Путина. Собранные воедино, факты, события, интриги и мнения героев составляют полную картину жизни Кремля, из которой впервые становится понятна логика метаморфозы Владимира Путина: как и почему из либерального прозападного президента начала 2000-х он превратился в авторитарного правителя и одного из самых ярых противников Запада. "Путин не считал, что Россию со всех сторон окружают враги. Путин не собирался закрывать все независимые телеканалы. Путин не собирался поддерживать Виктора Януковича. Он не хотел проводить Олимпиаду в Сочи. Его приближенные думали, что они стараются угадать его замыслы, - на самом деле они осуществляли свои." Михаил Зыгарь