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The Interview

The Interview

Sergei Pugachev: Inside Putin's rise


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13 March 2023

23 minutes

Available for over a year

Stephen Sackur is in Nice to speak to the former Russian oligarch and billionaire businessman Sergei Pugachev. He was once dubbed Putin’s banker, a close confidant who helped Putin reach the top. But their relationship soured. Pugachev was accused of massive financial crimes; he renounced his Russian citizenship and now lives with armed guards in the south of France. What does his extraordinary story tell us of Putin’s strengths and weaknesses?