For Vladimir Putin, Syria is as much a question of religion as of arms sales; in his eyes, Assad protects Syria’s ancient Christian communities

Ben Judah's rich and thoughtful account of the Putin years charts a Russian political system continually manipulated by a wounded leader

The Last Man in Russia by Oliver Bullough charts the unsavoury history of alcoholism, violence, abortions and nihilism in the former USSR. For all this, it is beautifully written

'It was then that it hit me: I was being interrogated by the FSB. It was only then I began to see how terrified the locals were'