The Story The descent into madness under Putin
10 snips
Apr 3, 2026 Marc Bennetts, a Times foreign correspondent who spent 25 years in Russia, reflects on the country’s transformation under Vladimir Putin. He recalls arriving in the hopeful 1990s and traces the rise of state media, propaganda tactics and the cult of historical destiny. He also discusses why he left in 2022 and the shrinking space for dissent today.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Personal Family Rift Driven By Propaganda
- Marc Bennetts married into a Russian family and watched his mother-in-law shift from sceptical to hostile toward the West over years of state propaganda.
- He stopped trying to reason with her as conversations became dominated by TV-driven hatred after 2014 and especially post-2014 annexation of Crimea.
Fake News Law Silenced Independent Journalists
- Russia's 2022 law against 'fake news' effectively criminalised independent reporting by equating truth with the Defence Ministry's account.
- Marc Bennetts left after editors warned he faced arrest once that legal framework and media clampdown took hold.
Economic Gains Masked Political Rollback
- Rising oil prices and a flat 13% tax helped lift living standards, creating a veneer of improvement under Putin despite growing authoritarianism.
- Shopping centres and foreign holidays returned, masking early media closures and power consolidation.
