I'm Going to Ruin Their Lives: Inside Putin's War on Russia's Opposition

Description

Vladimir Putin's return to the Russian presidency amid mass protests in 2012 ushered in a ruthless crackdown on dissent. 'They ruined my big day, now I'm going to ruin their lives,' Putin was alleged to have threatened after demonstrators clashed with police on the eve of his inauguration for a controversial third term. Now Boris Nemtsov is dead, other key opposition leaders are either in prison or under house arrest and the Kremlin is using the war in Ukraine to further its domestic aims, encouraging the rise of violent pro-Putin groups and labelling protesters 'national traitors'. Journalist and long-time Moscow resident Marc Bennetts examines how Russia's political opposition went from the heights of 2011's brave new protest movement to the disparate, broken-down force that it is today. Featuring rare interviews with everyone from Nemtsov and other protest leaders to Kremlin insiders, Bennetts provides an unprecedented insight into the realities of Russia's political arena. The result is a brilliant portrayal of the battle for Russia's soul, one which continues to this day.

Marc Bennetts is a British journalist who has lived in Moscow for fifteen years. He spent eighteen months as a reporter for Russia's RIA Novosti news agency and has reported for the Guardian, and the New York Times , among other publications. His first book was Football Dynamo: Modern Russia and the People's Game.

'A good recap of the past few years of Russian political dramas.' * Commonweal Magazine * 'Dark, compelling, and illuminating. Bennetts meets priests, lawmakers, spin-doctors, ordinary Russians, left-wing agitators, and riot cops in this vivid first-hand portrait.' -- Luke Harding, Guardian correspondent and author of Mafia State 'Strongly written, well-researched and timely... it should be read now.' * Times Literary Supplement * 'A compelling account of how a disparate set of political groups came together to create the largest anti-government protests Russia has seen in living memory.' * New Statesman * 'A lively, sardonic account of Putin's reign and those opposed to it' * Metro * 'This book gives a fascinating peek at the shifting political landscape in one of the world's most opaque nations.' * Press Association * 'Electrifying' * Booklist * 'Bennetts' entertaining book Kicking the Kremlin could hardly have come at a better time... Bennetts is well-placed to write the book. The huge variety of his interviews, through which he elicits a pleasing selection of anecdotes, as well as accusations of being a foreign spy, show his familiarity with the country and its people.' * We Love This Book * 'An engagingly grim, frequently absurdist portrait of Vladimir Putin and the popular protests against him.' * Kirkus Reviews * 'Colourful and authoritative. The best account of Russia's protest movement and Putin's ferocious crackdown.' -- Angus Roxburgh, author of The Strongman: Vladimir Putin and the Struggle for Russia 'Vivid and insightful. Bennetts captures a transitional moment in Russian history. Years from now, when researchers are seeking to explain the second Putin era, they would do well to use this reportage.' -- Daniel Kalder, author of Lost Cosmonaut 'Bennetts has done an excellent job of drawing together the scattered beads of a sobering story.' -- Susan Richards, author of Lost and Found in Russia: Encounters in a Deep Heartland