The history of Putin’s rise is filled with details that might challenge your reading skills, mainly because of the names and places, events, and institutions that are unfamiliar to you. In such cases, don’t get lost in the weeds– leave aside sections that seem difficult and try to get at the key points of the piece. The main argument is really about post-1990s Russia. Here are the main points you should keep in mind when reading and sketching an outline (maximum 4 pages):

1.  Putin came to power, (what former Soviet institutions and organizations did Putin exploit and how did he use his KGB connections to gain power in the mid-1990s?

2. What were Putin’s main political goals for Russia after he became premier in 1999 then president in 2008?

3. What kinds of methods did Putin and his entourage use to weaken opponents and strengthen the state? (give examples- Gazprom, NTV, etc)

4. According to the author, what are the key energy resources that Putin controlled and why has the control of energy been so vital for his power throughout?

5. Finally, and most important, what are the author’s key points and main thesis in the chapter? 

*Some key events to keep in mind: 

Soviet invasion of Chechnya (You can look this up)

6. The Yukos Affair– What is the Yukos Affair and why do you think this is important for the author in explaining Putin’s power in Russia?