The Rest Is History: Young Putin, the KGB and the Soviet Union

  • Podcast

  • 14 March 2022

  • Posted by Alastair Campbell

  • 0

In our most recent episode, Alastair mentioned our sister podcast, The Rest Is History, and its recent mini-series on the Soviet Union, its fall, Putin's early life and his subsequent rise to power.


Here's the first episode of the series on Brezhnev, Putin's formative years, his early KGB career and Gorbachev's descent into chaos.


Was Putin a nationalist or a communist? What changed from Brezhnev to Gorbachev? What was Putin doing in East Germany during the Soviet twilight years?


Find the next episode in the series here:

Apple

Spotify

Elsewhere


Or search 'The Rest Is History' wherever you get your podcasts.


See you on Wednesday for our next episode of 'The Rest Is Politics'.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

184. President of Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

At a time when the United States is threatening to withdraw from NATO, how can Europe maximise its power to deter Russia's threat? If Vladimir Putin were given the territory Donald Trump offered in hi... Continue

9 April 2026

Alastair Campbell’s diary: Here’s what Zelensky really thinks of JD Vance

After the madness of MAGA in Iran, meeting Ukraine’s president is a lesson in empathy and emotion... Continue

9 April 2026

519. Trump’s NATO Threat & a Critical Election in Hungary (Question Time)

Following Trump's threats to remove the US from NATO, is the alliance effectively finished? After nearly two decades in power, could Viktor Orbán finally be unseated in Hungary's upcoming election? H... Continue

8 April 2026

518. Is Trump a Fascist and is His War on Iran Unwinnable?

Has Trump crossed the line from right-wing populist to fascist? Is he fighting a war with Iran he cannot win? Is Iraq being dragged in against its will? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Alastair Campbell a... Continue

7 April 2026

183. From Bradford to Westminster: Faith, Identity, and Power (Naz Shah)

How did Naz Shah’s experience growing up in Bradford and her experience with her family in the legal system influence her to go into politics? What does it mean for a political party to truly “sta... Continue

6 April 2026

The Real Reasons Populism Is Taking Over

What is populism, and why is it so attractive to voters? Which human instincts do populists tap into to get votes? And what does a populist-led country look like? Alastair is joined by Liam Byrne, MP... Continue

2 April 2026

517. Is Trump Plotting Regime Change in Cuba? (Question Time)

Does Trump already have one eye on regime change in Cuba, as the US faces strategic failure in the Iran war? Who is more dangerous to the world right now, Putin or Netanyahu? Should Starmer be doing m... Continue

2 April 2026

516. Trump’s Iran Delusion and the Limits of American Power

Why has opposition to the Iran war been so muted within Trump’s America, and how is the US uniquely insulated from the worst impacts of the war? Do American tech billionaires now pose a serious thre... Continue

1 April 2026