Full episode
614: The Other Mr. President (2017)
Act Three

Maybe Pay Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain

Disinformation and propaganda works differently in Putin’s Russia than it did during the Soviet Union. Instead of tamping down the opposition, the Russian government works to control the opposition. Producer Sean Cole introduces us to Putin’s right-hand man who is credited with inventing this new way of controlling information. (15 minutes)

One of the journalists Sean speaks to in this story is Peter Pomerantsev. He’s the author of the book "Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia."

Peter Pomerantsev wrote about Vladislav Surkov for The Atlantic.