Putin's People by Catherine Belton Summary
Overview of Putin's People
Putin's People reveals how the KGB reclaimed Russia and weaponized corruption against the West. Described as "reading like a John le Carre novel" by The Guardian, this Sunday Times bestseller exposes the shadowy networks behind Putin's $200B kleptocracy that's reshaping global politics.
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Key takeaways
When the Spymaster Came Home
A grainy documentary from February 1992 shows Vladimir Putin, St. Petersburg's deputy mayor, projecting calm competence amid the chaos of post-Soviet collapse. He claimed to have resigned from the KGB. The paychecks, however, told a different story. This unassuming bureaucrat would become Russia's longest-serving leader since Stalin, transforming a fragile democracy into what observers now call a "mafia state." But here's what makes this story truly chilling: the takeover wasn't improvised. It was rehearsed. While the world celebrated the fall of communism, KGB networks had already stashed billions abroad, cultivated agent networks across Europe, and prepared contingency plans for the day the Soviet Union would collapse. They didn't mourn the USSR's death-they had been planning its resurrection under a new flag all along. Picture KGB officers frantically burning documents in Dresden as the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989. Putin and his colleagues worked day and night until their furnace burst, destroying contact lists and communications until nothing remained but ashes. Twelve truckloads of sensitive files were rushed to Moscow. Yet this desperate scramble masked a deeper truth: parts of the KGB had been preparing for regime collapse for years.
The Dresden Network and KGB Capitalism
The St. Petersburg Laboratory and the Ozero Brotherhood
The Meteoric Rise and Grand Deception
The Oil Wars and the Creation of the Obschak
Londongrad and the Western Infiltration
The Vicious Circle
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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