Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hopes to return to the president’s office in Russia, but he never really gave up any of the power that went with the office. Putin rules Russia with an authoritarian hand and has never been shy about raising it against his enemies, or those he perceives as enemies. William F. Browder knows that perhaps better than anyone. Browder was once one of the most prominent foreign investors in Russia, and one of the most energetic cheerleaders for the country. A corporate provocateur, he set up the company Hermitage Capital, a capital management fund. His company made billions, until the Kremlin expelled him in 2005, raided his company offices, and tried to nationalize the business.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.