Channel logo

Putin vs the West

Throughout the two decades that Vladimir Putin has controlled Russia, global leaders have tried various tactics to keep him in line. Now, as war rages in Ukraine and the world faces one of its greatest tests to peace since the Cold War, this documentary attempts to identify where these leaders went wrong and tries to understand how we have reached this point of no return with Putin.
20233 episodesTV-14
Free trial of BBC Select

Prime membership required

Terms apply

Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - My Backyard
    January 31, 2023
    59min
    13+
    When Vladimir Putin's Russian forces first attacked Ukraine in 2014, Europe's leaders clashed over how to stop him. When he spied division in the West, the Russian President pressed home his advantage. As this thrilling documentary illustrates, Putin was able to exploit a power vacuum and make his most audacious move to date: sending troops into Crimea.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  2. S1 E2 - Back With a Vengeance
    January 31, 2023
    59min
    TV-14
    As the uprisings of the Arab Spring tore through the Middle East, Western leaders attempted to enlist Putin as a peacemaker. But, as this compelling political documentary shows, the Russian President was able to use this to his advantage. Exploiting the West's inaction, he revealed just how far he was willing to go to keep his allies in power.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  3. S1 E3 - A Dangerous Path
    January 31, 2023
    60min
    13+
    From an audacious poisoning to the moment he launched an invasion that threatened to engulf Europe, Putin has continued to ramp up his aggression. As this fascinating documentary concludes, leaders including Boris Johnson, Theresa May and Volodymyr Zelensky discuss how they confronted Putin and maneuvered to try and prevent his invasion of Ukraine. How will the West now respond?
    Free trial of BBC Select

Details

More info

Content advisory
Violence
Subtitles
None available
Directors
Tim Stirzaker
Producers
Norma Percy
Studio
BBC Studios
By clicking play, you agree to our Terms of Use.