Putin's Revenge, Part One (full documentary) | FRONTLINE
FRONTLINE PBS | Official・2 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.
