The personality of Russian President Vladimir Putin has intrigued the world for years. But how much do we actually know about him, and do we know anything at all? Putin goes to great lengths to keep every aspect of his life hidden. However, investigative journalism over the past decade has shed new light on his work habits, lifestyle and inner circle. In this program, Mikhail Rubin will share the findings from his investigations of one of the world's most enigmatic leaders.

Mikhail Rubin, 2025 Stanford John S.Knight Fellow, is a Russian journalist in exile and the deputy editor in chief of Proekt. His investigations into Russian President  Putin and corruption of Russian authorities have earned him six laurels from the Zimin Foundation’s independent Redkollegiya award, which supports free and professional journalism in Russia.