Bloody wars, paranoia and body doubles - Inside Putin’s brutal 25-year reign

Bloody wars, paranoia and body doubles - Inside Putin’s brutal 25-year reign
When Boris Yeltsin appointed Vladimir Putin as the next president in 1999, it was hoped the KGB agent would make Russia great again.

But 25 years on, with the ageing leader still at the helm for the foreseeable future, Putin's tenure so far has been what experts describe as a "catastrophe".

Putin's political career echoes features of a megalomaniac tyrant: total authoritarian control over Russia, a brutal crackdown on dissent, manipulation - even on his own citizens - and an ambitious thirst for power.

Experts say his years as a leader - exercising absolute power without checks - have brought Russia to its knees.

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