'Putin is a maniac': The West took too long to see it | Charles Cumming

“Straight up and down psychopath as far as I’m concerned.”

Bestselling espionage novelist Charles Cumming says it took the West “too long to catch up to the fact that Putin is a maniac.” He also gives us a run-down on why Israel's pager attack was practically out of a spy novel, and an insight into his writing process.
#timesradio spoke to him at the Cheltenham Literary Festival 2024.

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[ZootyZoFo]

If Putin was embarrassed about the fall of the Soviet Union imagine his embarrassment now once he seen the true abilities of his military and how pathetic they are.

[brianbice]

when a large portion of the scamers in the world are in Russia and acording to Russian law that as long as they dont scam in Russia they wont be touched then RUssia shows who it is, its a country that will protect any criminal as long as the crime is dont in any other country.

[janiecovey]

Absolutely correct. It's about time the world called putin's bluff .

[lbbradley]

Its past time for NATO to tell Putin to GET OUT of Ukraine or else.

[ricklayeux]

Yea, he's lost his mind, a murdering madman.

[toplyf.]

Putin killing his people just because he has nostalgia for the past.😅

[camwatters-izbs]

But Tucker Carlson said he’s a great guy. Are u suggesting Tucker is a conman?

[TheEvertw]

It is easy to criticise the West in hindsight. However, Europe was not naive in its approach. It embraced Russia in order to knit its economy closely to the EU, so that breaking relations with the West would be suicide for the Russian economy.
And we are seeing the results. The Russian economy is coming apart at the seams.
The biggest criticism should be directed against the USA, which did nothing when Russia invaded Chechnya, Georgia and Ukraine. For example, Russia should have been kicked out of the UN when it did that.

[firstnamelastname]

The reason why Putin is still in power, is because he was the best man to rule the country at that time ( in the past ), today I’m not so sure anymore, the times changed drastically and Putin is living in the past ( in his mind ), it’s time for a new Russian leader, government and president 🇷🇺

[Koshjedirani]

Absoloutly right. But Very dangerous maniac.

[wisemansifiso]

I already said those words:"putin is a wicked human being".

[danweyant]

It's been clear for a long time he's just a gangster.

[DaleLSeth]

Description of Putin? Sounds like the Orange Toad to me!

[baldersn]

Could have said the same about Rumsfeld, Bush or Blair ?

[donaldmason]

Please don't blame poor Covid.Still a great video.Also I couldn't help to see a comparison with Trump.

[christopherharmon]

We forgot who Putin used to work for (he was a KGB goon).

[eismcsquared]

Russia is a joke while ‘putin the maniac’ is the punchline

[awidikor]

The Most Powerdrunk Person Of all time: Putin needs a Guinness World Record Title for that !🤔

[Remguy]

I live in Scotland 😢 I'd say what I feel about Putin, however I am a bit afraid of their agents, I'd hate to find I was poisoned by eating a haggis.

[michaelbeglan]

Where do Radio Times keep finding intellectually impaired individuals like this guy?