Meet the world's most dangerous man.

Who is the real Vladimir Putin? What does he want? And what will he do next?

Despite the millions of words written on Putin's Russia, the West still fails to truly understand one of the world's most powerful politicians, whose influence spans the globe and whose networks of power reach into the very heart of our daily lives.

Professor Mark Galeotti uncovers the man behind the myth, addressing the key misperceptions of Putin and explaining how we can decipher his motivations and next moves. From Putin's early life in the KGB, to the war with Ukraine, his real relationship with the US and his vision for the future of Russia - Galeotti draws on Russian sources and explosive unpublished accounts to give unparalleled insight into the man at the heart of global politics.

'Easily the shrewdest and most insightful analysis yet of Putin’s policymaking' - Foreign Affairs

'Punchy and highly readable' - TLS

'Reads like a primer for anyone poised to enter a negotiation with the Russian president' - The Guardian

About the Author

Mark Galeotti is one of the world’s leading experts on Russian crime and security (which are often one and the same), which may explain why Moscow banned him in 2022. After a stint with the Foreign Office, he has been a scholar and think-tanker in London, New York, Moscow, Prague and Florence.

He now heads the consultancy Mayak Intelligence and is an honorary professor at University College London and a senior fellow with RUSI and the Council on Geostrategy.

A prolific author, he frequently acts as consultant to various government, commercial and law-enforcement agencies and has briefed everyone from prime ministers to CEOs.