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An oil tanker is being unloaded with imported crude oil at the Qingdao Port Oil Terminal in Shandong Province, China on April 7, 2026. (Getty Images)
Who is the real Vladimir Putin and what are his intentions? In Putin’s Kleptocracy, Professor Karen Dawisha provides an answer, describing how Putin rose to power, the cabal he brought with him, the billions they looted, and his plan to restore Greater Russia.
Professor Dawisha exposes the origins of modern Russian corruption, presenting extensive new evidence about the links among ex-KGB officers, businessmen, and organized crime in the early 1990s before Putin became president.
On December 10th, Hudson Institute’s Kleptocracy Initiative (KI) hosted a discussion with Professor Dawisha on the origins of Russia's kleptocracy. This session was moderated by KI Executive Director Charles Davidson.
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(Screenshot via YouTube)
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Dock workers offload shipping containers from a ship at Port Everglades on April 20, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Getty Images)
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The A-share Shanghai Composite Index displayed on the electronic screen of a pedestrian overpass in Shanghai, China, on March 25, 2026. (Getty Images)