Delving into the world of Putin
PUTIN: THE NEW TSAR BBC TWO, TONIGHT, 9PM
THE recent attack on a former Russian spy on an English high street should be ample reminder that as far as Vladimir Putin is concerned, the Cold War never finished.
In fact, he seems desperate to reignite the old hostilities and now treats the West with open contempt.
So, in the run-up to Russia’s forthcoming elections, tonight sees a timely examination of the man once dismissed as a relic from those bad old days which have supposedly long passed.
Charting the story of his rise from a relatively obscure spy – well, the best ones always are, I suppose – to his current position as the world’s biggest bogeyman, Putin: The New
Tsar (BBC Two, tonight, 9pm) delves into his mystery-shrouded background and talks to the few people who have crossed him and lived long enough to tell the tale.
The fascinating thing about Putin is that he completely eschews the current trend for politicians to appeal to the hearts and minds of voters. He seems more interested in grabbing them by the scruff of the neck, or an even more painful part of the body, and forcing them to do whatever he wants.
Chess great Garry Kasparov has long been a thorn in his side and he gives his forthright views, while UK politicians such as William Hague and Jack Straw discuss a man they could never hope to beat.
After all, as he has consistently demonstrated, he thinks participatory democracy is for weaklings and seems to operate off the view that Western politicians are irrelevant because they could be voted out of power at any moment.
The Russian Bear has been showing its claws of late and, after watching this sobering examination of the man and his trick of whipping up fervent Russian nationalism, plenty of Irish football fans may feel a little less depressed that we’re not going there for the World Cup...
There was a time when dog lovers loved Crufts (Channel 4, today, 7.30pm) but after a harrowing BBC exposé a few years ago about the spectacularly cruel breeding methods of some of the trainers, it rather lost its appeal. Clare Balding hosts, for those who are still interested...
The bosses in TV3 must be delighted their expensive investment in their rugby coverage has coincided with a genuinely exciting campaign for Ireland.
A long day’s coverage starts with Ireland against
Scotland (TV3, tomorrow,
1pm) and after Joe Schmidt’s team scraped two victories from matches which would, in previous years, have ended in a draw or a defeat, hopes are high. A resurgent Scottish team will, as ever, be doing their best to spoil the party.
Remember – just don’t mention the G***d S**m.