In September 1999, just weeks after 46-year-old Vladimir Putin became Russia’s prime minister, a series of apartment bombings ripped through Russian cities, killing hundreds as they slept and plunging the country into fear. The government blamed Chechen militants—but questions soon emerged. Some journalists and investigators began to suspect Russia’s own security services, the FSB, successor to the KGB. Those who pursued the story, including former agent Alexander Litvinenko, paid a heavy price. To this day, the truth remains fiercely contested. What is clear is the impact: out of the chaos, Putin rose as a leader promising order and revenge—an ascent that would reshape Russia’s future. Dan is joined by journalist Helena Merriman, who hosts a brand new podcast from BBC Studios called The History Bureau that delves into this story and asks the journalists who were there - what did we miss the first time around? You can listen to The History Bureau on the BBC Sounds app or wherever you get your podcasts. 0:00 Introduction 1:46 The 1999 Apartment Bombings Explained 2:51 The Fall of Boris Yeltsin 3:18 Four Bombs That Terrified a Nation 5:05 Enter Vladimir Putin: The "Grey Mouse" 6:19 The Second Chechen War Begins 7:09 The Ryazan Incident: Failed Bomb or Training? 9:19 Did the FSB Bomb Russia? 14:29 The Death of Free Media and NTV 20:56 Alexander Litvinenko and the Poisoned Investigation 28:20 Conspiracy or Cockup? The Final Verdict Produced by Mariana Des Forges, James Hickmann and McKenna Fernandez, edited by Matthew Wilson & the channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. You can find more Dan Snow's History Hit on the audio podcast here: https://podfollow.com/dan-snows-history-hit/view Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #DanSnowsHistoryHit #HistoryPodcast #Putin #Russia