The EI Podcast Putin, the once and future Chekist
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Feb 26, 2026 An exploration of Chekism and the historical roots of Russia’s security culture. A look at how early Soviet terror doctrine shaped the Chekist worldview. Stories about Vasili Mitrokhin’s archive and what it revealed. Tracing Vladimir Putin’s attraction to and rise through the KGB, and how state symbolism restored Chekist prestige.
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Putin Speaks As A Security Operative
- Vladimir Putin frames himself as a fellow security operative rather than a conventional politician.
- In 2005 he told MI5 head Eliza Manningham-Buller that security officers must be prepared to die, treating counter‑terrorism as an existential duty.
Cheka Founded On Organised Terror
- The Cheka was founded as an extraordinary body justified by revolutionary terror rather than traditional law.
- Felix Dzerzhinsky openly endorsed organised terror, making the Cheka a sword and shield of the Bolshevik state.
Chekism Survived Institutional Name Changes
- Czechism persisted through name changes because officers continued to self-identify as Chekists.
- The Cheka's extraordinary mandate became institutionalised across GPU, NKVD, MGB and KGB practices.