Putin’s Crisis

A composite image of Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Yevgeny Prigozhin. — With Vladimir Putin facing down a mutiny, “Putin’s Crisis” examines how the Russian leader reached this moment. From left to right: Russian President Vladimir Putin; leader of Russian mercenary Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

July 7, 2023

With Vladimir Putin facing down a mutiny, FRONTLINE examines how the Russian leader reached this moment of crisis. Veteran filmmaker Michael Kirk and his team examine the story of Putin’s rise, his clashes at home and abroad, and how his troubled Ukraine war led to the greatest threat yet to his grip on power.

Latest Documentaries

A person wearing a hat holds a Venezuelan flag and shouts.

Crisis in Venezuela

Around half a dozen cows graze next to a river.

Contaminated: The Carpet Industry’s Toxic Legacy

54m

Strike on Iran: The Nuclear Question

54m

A man in a red shirt leans his forehead against the forehead of an older woman, holding her head in his hands.

Surviving CECOT

11m

Status: Venezuelan

41m

A soldier silhouetted against a landscape of burned trees as the sun sits at the horizon.

2000 Meters to Andriivka

1h 51m

A man is seen in silhouette holding a gun.

Drug War in Ecuador

54m

A German flag is pictured in the hand of a crowd member in front of a photo wall at an AfD rally on the Schlossplatz Oranienburg on May 6, 2024.

The Rise of Germany’s New Right

1h 44m

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. holding a mic in front of a presidential campaign rally backdrop.

The Rise of RFK Jr.

1h 54m

Born Poor

1h 24m

Remaking the Middle East: Israel vs. Iran

1h 54m

The Resolute Desk in the Oval Office with President Trump's hands resting on a signed executive order.

Trump’s Power & the Rule of Law

1h 24m

Get our Newsletter

Stay Connected

Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation

Koo and Patricia Yuen

Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with major support from Ford Foundation. Additional funding is provided the Abrams Foundation, Park Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, and the FRONTLINE Trust, with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation, and additional support from Koo and Patricia Yuen. FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of WGBH Educational Foundation. Web Site Copyright ©1995-2025 WGBH Educational Foundation. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.