Richard Sakwa is Professor of Politics at the University of Kent, UK.

1. Contradictions of Putinism Rise to the top; Putin's statecraft; The Putin puzzle; Six pillars of power; Modalities of power, 2. Crisis of modernisation Stalemate and development; What sort of modernisation?; Social development and political change; How many Russias?; Powerlessness and corruption; The authoritarian social contract and rentierism 3. The impasse of power The dual state: constitutional state vs. administrative regime; Socio-economic stalemate; The third state: reality vs. appearance; Contesting epistemes; Beyond the impasse 4. On the eve What did Medvedev do?; Luzhkov's dismissal; The dual campaign; party moves; Medvedev on the edge; Putin or Medvedev? 5. Putin's constitutional coup The September coup; Parliamentary election; Protest and counter-protest; Putin's response; Medvedev's counter-coup 6. Putin's return Putin's bind; Crisis and reform; Putin's programme; The presidential election; Putin's return; Back in the driving seat 7. Tightening the screws 8. Coercion; Constraints; Co-optation; Conviction; Demedvedisation 9. The new traditionalism and regime reset 10. Putin's statecraft in crisis; The Putin doctrine; Rebalancing the power system; Elections in Putin's third term; Regime reset 11. Conclusion: Respice finem