Getting Into Putin’s Head

This year, the war in Ukraine has dominated news headlines and been on everyone’s mind. At the heart of it is Russian President Vladimir Putin, who began his career as a spy with the KGB. To understand a former spy, you need a former spy. Doug London is fluent in Russian and spent nearly 40 years with the CIA, as an operations officer and station chief in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. On this episode, he discusses Putin’s background, mindset, and strategies for the United States and others to address Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. 

Show Notes: 

• Douglas London (@douglaslondon5)
• 5:25 New York Times coverage of Russian leadership considering the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine 
• Doug’s book The Recruiter: Spying and the Lost Art of American Intelligence
• Doug’s Just Security article analyzing Putin’s mindset 
• Music: “The Parade” by “Hey Pluto!” from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-parade (License code: 36B6ODD7Y6ODZ3BX)