The Kremlin

This chapter delves into the challenges in deciphering Russia’s decision-making processes under Putin’s centralised and personalistic regime. It addresses the conflicting perspectives presented in recent books that attempt to explain Putin’s regime. Emphasising the secrecy inherent in authoritarian regimes, the chapter contends that the lack of comprehensive information impedes a definitive understanding of Kremlin motivations. The chapter takes a dialectical approach, offering two opposing answers to each question along with a brief synthesis.