The documentary “Putin: Craving for Power” depicts Vladimir Putin’s aggressive conduct and ruling style. He is portrayed as a harsh tyrant who uses military force to achieve his goals and restore Russia’s old glories. The documentary focuses on Putin’s role in several conflicts, like the Ukraine invasion and Grozny’s bombardment during the Chechen conflict (DW Documentary, 2022). The film also examines Putin’s support for authoritarian dictators Ramzan Kadyrov in Chechnya and Bashar El-Assad in Syria. The film also addresses allegations that Putin was complicit in the assassinations of Russian opposition figures Boris Nemtsov, Alexander Litvinenko, Anna Politkovskaya, Sergei Skripal, and Alexei Navalny (DW Documentary, 2022). Putin is depicted as having a disconnected sense of reality and acquiring information from biased sources.
Moreover, Putin is portrayed as a despot with a distorted worldview who intimidates those close to him. The documentary focuses on Putin’s paranoia and imperialistic tendencies, as evidenced by his 2014 annexation of Crimea and engagement in the Syrian war (DW Documentary, 2022). The film also references Russia’s growing involvement in Africa, as they provide military assistance to African countries to access their resources (DW Documentary, 2022). The documentary provides essential information about Putin’s leadership style, involvement in many conflicts, support for authoritarian regimes, allegations of his involvement in assassinations, and imperialistic impulses. The film underlines Putin’s proclivity for using violence to achieve his cause and Russia’s lack of press and speech freedom. The documentary also discusses Putin’s 2007 speech at the Munich Security Conference and its relevance in commencing his radicalization phase (DW Documentary, 2022). Putin is portrayed in the film as a leader who aspires to restore Russia’s greatness and rule the world.
Accuracy of The Documentary
Given the current war crimes and atrocities in Ukraine, the documentary accurately depicts the subject. Conversely, the documentary provides a more in-depth examination of Putin’s leadership style and decisions. It provides a chronological overview of Putin’s presidency and discusses how various episodes and situations influenced his decisions. The documentary also takes a more visually appealing approach, emphasizing critical topics via graphics, images, and video (Galeotti, 2019). The documentary also draws on several sources, including interviews with experts and others who have direct knowledge of Putin’s regime.
Comparison of the Sources
When compared favorably to the content of the textbook “The Challenge of Politics,” the documentary “Putin’s Craving for Power” is presented. Both websites attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of Putin’s political career, leadership style, and decisions. The video, for example, delves into Putin’s role in the Second Chechen War, his ascent to power through media hegemony, and the wars in Syria and Ukraine (DW Documentary, 2022). These occurrences are studied in the context of Putin’s managerial style, interactions with other international leaders, and Russia’s political and economic situation (Simon & Romance, 2022). However, there are some differences in the breadth and depth of information provided.
The book offers a more comprehensive and in-depth analysis of Russia’s political landscape and Putin’s difficulties in leading the nation. It addresses a broader range of subjects, like the development of Russian politics over time, the health of the economy, and the geopolitical environment that has influenced the nation (Simon & Romance, 2022). The textbook also offers a more analytical viewpoint, contextualizing Putin’s behavior using political ideas and concepts. Moreover, the documentary’s information is consistent with the research portfolio and the textbook. It offers a fair and thorough evaluation of Putin’s leadership, covering both the advantages and disadvantages of his presidency (Stanovaya, 2020). The film provides a complete understanding of Putin’s leadership, its impact on Russia, and insights into the intricately intertwined events and trends that have shaped the country.
In conclusion, the documentary, research portfolio, and textbook provide in-depth assessments of Putin’s administration and the Russian political landscape. These sources are valuable tools for learning about Putin’s political background, the broader geopolitical environment in which he operates, his leadership, and a more thorough analysis of the more relevant political context. Hence, these sources are ideal for investigating Putin since they are highly recognized and trustworthy news sources with in-depth analysis.
References
DW Documentary. (2022). Putin’s craving for power | DW Documentary [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Galeotti, M. (2019). We need to talk about Putin: why the west gets him wrong, and how to get him right. Cadmus Home. Web.
Simon, D. W., & Romance, J. (2022). The challenge of politics: an introduction to political science. CQ press.
Stanovaya, T. (2020). The Putin regime cracks. Carnegie endowment for international peace. Web.