Putin isn’t Mr. Clean. Still, he’s better for his country than our President Mystery-Man.
A look at the harsher side of rule under Putin may be had in the book “Red Notice,” by Bill Browder.
Mr. Browder ran an extremely successful investment fund in Russia after the USSR breakup and privatization. Eventually, it caught the eye of higher-ups in Putin’s administration, and was confiscated. He had an honest Russian lawyer who refused to sign false papers implicating Browder in criminal activity. THey couldn’t get at Browder, who had fled to the West, but arrested, pressured, and tortured the lawyer, who died. His name was Serge Magnitsky.
I found Browder’s book convincing, and I find it hard to believe Putin wasn’t aware of what was going on, and indeed may have had a hand in it.
I read the book - all it indicates is that dealings in Russia are treacherous not that Putin orders each and every hit. The problem in perception that I see is that Putin is shown as all powerful and controlling. Putin’s phenomenal ability has been to lead this crazy Russian nation where everyone can kill you and do so with some competence and also seems to have reversed a decline in some areas but not so much in others.