As Russia’s war on Ukraine continues, the historian Orlando Figes’s latest book considers how Russia and its rulers see the country.

He speaks to Alix Kroeger about why his book is called The Story of Russia, rather than The History of Russia, what drives Vladimir Putin and the low chances of the country liberalising any time soon.

The Story of Russia is published by Bloomsbury and available from 1 September

Read more:

Serhii Plokhy: “The Ukrainian army that no one ever knew existed is winning”

Vladimir Putin has failed to learn Stalin’s lessons

How Vladimir Putin views the world

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