Do you need to understand Putin to understand Russia?

Since Vladimir Putin's decision to invade the nation of Ukraine, many western narratives have focused on trying to understand the Russian president's psychology and personal motivations. Do you need to understand Vladimir Putin to understand modern Russia? How different was Russia under Putin ally Dmitri Medvedev? Keith Gessen, writer and Assistant Professor of Magazine Journalism at the Columbia Journalism School, argues that emphasizing Putin's personality may not be the most useful focus in grappling with Russia's politics.

This interview from the FPA archives was recorded in 2017.