Top 5 Books & Documentaries On Vladimir Putin That Examine The Russian President's Ruthless Path To Control

Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of the most powerful men in the world — and also one of the most dangerous. Ruling with an iron fist and inflicting senseless destruction and death on the people of Ukraine, as well as his own soldiers, many are curious as to how Putin rose to power.

While rumors continue to circulate about Putin's failing health and the use of body doubles, coupled with a possibility that the paranoid leader would be unable to withstand a loss in the current Russia/Ukraine conflict, the curiosity of the president and the inner workings of his cabinet has risen significantly.

RadarOnline.com compiled a list of the top 5 books and documentaries on Putin, his potential plan for the war with Ukraine, and scandals that contributed to his Russian reign since taking over as head of the country in 2012.

The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin by Masha Gessen retails for $6.99/Kindle or $10.98/Hardcover at amazon.com.

Masha Gessen's The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin, was released the same year Putin rose to power. Gessen examines how Putin, an unlikely candidate, swept the Russian political system by storm. The book's description states that Putin's agenda "destroyed years of progress" in a shockingly short amount of time through a thorough review of his early policies and strategies that he used to gain reign.

Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath by Bill Browder retails for $14.99/Kindle and $18.79/Hardback at amazon.com.

Bill Browder's Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath, is a novel based on Browder's personal experience of pursuing justice for the murder of lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, who was beaten to death in a Moscow jail. In his fight to bring Magnitsky's murderers to justice, Browder became Putin's number one enemy, by exposing Putin's campaign and alleged money laundering.

Putin's People by Catherine Belton retails for $12.99/Kindle and $13.79/Paperback at amazon.com.

Investigative journalist and former Moscow correspondent, Catherine Belton, exposes Putin and a small group of KGB men who she alleges are at the center of several political scandals that have affected the world. In Putin's People, Belton tells an untold story of the inner workings of the Russian government and relies on inside sources close to Putin to dissect the president's rise to power and the various deals he made to gain control of the country.

The Putin Interviews: Oliver Stone Interviews Vladimir Putin by Oliver Stone and Showtime retails for free through Audiobook for Amazon Prime customers, $10.73/Kindle or $50.52/Hardcover at amazon.com.

Over a two-year span, Putin gave a series of interviews which were compiled into The Putin Interviews. Journalist Oliver Stone was able to gain unprecedented one-on-one access to Putin in a way no other news station, press, or journalist has been able to do since he took power. Topics covered in the interview range from Russian interference in the US election, Donald Trump, and whistleblower Edward Snowden.

From Russia with Blood: The Kremlin's Ruthless Assassination Program and Vladimir Putin's Secret War on the West by Heidi Blake retails for $12.99/Kindle or $8.98/Hardcover at amazon.com.

Heidi Blake's From Russia with Blood: The Kremlin's Ruthless Assassination Program and Vladimir Putin's Secret War on the West, is a shocking take on Putin's ruthless power trip and the inner workings of the Kremlin. Blake exposes the Kremlin's assassination campaign on those who speak out against Putin and Russian policies while examining minimal efforts to interfere in the senseless murders from the West, including Britain and US authorities.