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Putin's Revenge, Part One (full documentary) | FRONTLINE

FRONTLINE PBS | Official・39 minutes read

Russian hackers attempted to influence U.S. elections, targeting state systems and using various tactics tied to Putin. Putin's rise to power involved crisis exploitation and a shift from a positive relationship with the U.S. to viewing America as a threat, justifying a consolidation of power in Russia.

Insights

  • Russian hackers, linked to Putin, used various tactics like hacked emails and ads to influence the 2016 U.S. election, marking the first instance of weaponizing information against the U.S.
  • Putin's rise to power and consolidation of control in Russia were driven by a deep-rooted resentment towards the U.S., exacerbated by perceived threats to his regime, leading to actions like the Beslan tragedy and crackdown on dissent.

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Recent questions

  • What were the Russian hackers attempting to influence?

    The United States.

  • What was Putin's response to the Beslan tragedy?

    Blamed the United States for supporting terrorism.

  • How did Putin view the collapse of the Soviet Union?

    As the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.

  • How did Putin respond to popular revolutions in former Soviet republics?

    Saw them as a threat to his rule.

  • How did Putin reinvent himself in the new Russia?

    Transitioned from a KGB officer to a political operative.

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Summary

00:00

Russian Hackers Influence US Election: Putin's Revenge

  • FBI detected multiple attempts by Russian hackers to influence the United States.
  • Russian hackers were identified as the culprits behind these attacks.
  • The first instance of weaponizing information by Russian hackers against the United States.
  • A special two-part investigation on "Putin's Revenge" is aired on "Frontline."
  • U.S. intelligence agencies were on high alert during the 2016 Election Day.
  • Various techniques, including hacked emails, ads, trolls, and bots, were used to influence voters, all linked to Putin.
  • Operational preparation of the environment (O.P.E.) was detected by intelligence agencies.
  • Russian efforts targeted state electoral systems, registration databases, and voter information.
  • Concerns arose about potential direct interference with voting by Russia.
  • Putin's resentment towards the U.S. stems from a lifetime of grievances and a belief in Russia's humiliation by the U.S.

15:37

Putin's Rise and Russia's Transformation

  • The USSR was falling apart as Putin returned to Russia, with statues coming down in front of the KGB headquarters.
  • George H.W. Bush declared the end of the Soviet Union a triumph for democracy and freedom.
  • Putin viewed the collapse of the Soviet Union as a humiliation, calling it the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.
  • Putin reinvented himself in the new Russia, transitioning from a KGB officer to a political operative and bureaucratic fixer.
  • Boris Yeltsin promoted Putin to lead the FSB after earning his confidence, despite their differing backgrounds.
  • Putin's rise to power was marked by suspicions surrounding a series of apartment bombings in Russia.
  • Putin used the apartment bombings as a catalyst to strike Chechnya with force, portraying himself as a man of action.
  • Putin became Russia's new president, promising strength and quickly consolidating power, starting with taking control of television.
  • Putin's relationship with President George W. Bush was initially positive, with Putin leveraging Bush's Christian beliefs to establish rapport.
  • Putin's perception of the U.S. changed after 9/11, as Bush pursued spreading democracy through military intervention, leading Putin to view America as a threat to his regime.

30:39

Putin's Power Grab After Beslan Tragedy

  • Putin ordered his army to respond to a crisis at a school in Beslan, North Ossetia.
  • The army used heavy weaponry like tanks, rockets, and flame throwers, leading to a tragic outcome.
  • Over 320 people, half of them children, lost their lives in the Beslan tragedy.
  • Putin blamed the United States for the crisis, accusing them of supporting terrorism.
  • Following Beslan, Putin used the tragedy to justify expanding his power and control in Russia.
  • Putin canceled elections, enforced new rules, and centralized power in the Kremlin.
  • Putin saw popular revolutions in former Soviet republics as a threat to his rule.
  • Putin believed the U.S. was behind these revolutions, fearing Russia could be next.
  • Putin's relationship with the U.S. deteriorated during George W. Bush's presidency.
  • Barack Obama attempted to reset relations with Russia, symbolized by a mistranslated "reset" button.

45:20

Massive Moscow protests challenge Putin's power.

  • Tens of thousands protested against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in late 2011 in Moscow, following allegations of election fraud by his party.
  • The protests were fueled by evidence of ballot-stuffing and fraud captured on cell phone videos, leading to the largest demonstration in Moscow since 1991.
  • Putin saw the protests as American regime change and pointed the finger at Hillary Clinton, who he believed was supporting the opposition.
  • Putin ordered a crackdown on protesters and dissidents in Russia, sending a clear message that he would not be toppled from power.
  • Many of Putin's opponents in Russia fled the country or faced mysterious deaths, solidifying his power at home before addressing the perceived threat from America.
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