The Putin System: An Opposing View

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am grateful to my colleagues, all brilliant and honest intellectuals, for the constant discussions in which this book was born: Vitaly Shvydko, Andrei Kosmynin, Victor Kogan-Yasny, and Eugenia Dillendorf.

My special appreciation to Antonina and Jean-Claude Bouis, without whom this volume would not exist.

Dmitri Glinski’s wonderful translation evinces a deep understanding of the book’s substance, and I am extremely grateful to him for that. I thank Igor Yakovlev, who helped me in the organization of the book’s translation.

I also thank the anonymous reviewers who recommended this book for publication for the credit of trust they expressed in me. My words of thanks go to the Columbia University Press team for their attentive and professional handling of the manuscript.

In conclusion, I would like to thank my beloved family for their unselfish love and support. They have made contributions to the book in a variety of ways.