Freed from the shackles of communism in the 1990s, Russia seemed to be entering 
an era of rebirth. But as is often the case in that country, history unfolded 
harshly. For the majority of Russians, the transition to a market system was 
painful and chaotic - and anything but democratic. Amid the confusion, a few 
shrewd and ruthless businessmen exploited the loopholes in the Soviet economy 
to make fast money, staving off a return to communist rule.

Nicknamed the oligarchs, these men, all billionaires, manoeuvred their way into 
Russia's political inner circle during glasnost, are credited with Boris 
Yeltsin's re-election in 1996, and suspected of anointing Vladimir Putin in 
1999. They're powerful men with powerful enemies, and they continue to shape 
Russian society.

Dizzying in its detail, The Rise and Fall of the Russian Oligarchs puts modern-
day Russia into perspective.