Votes for Vladimir. Meeting Putin’s biggest fans.

Watch Vladimir Putin's Russia on BBC Select

For 20 years, Russia has been in his grip. The fact that we’re still asking ‘Who is Putin?’ says a great deal about the former spy who became president.

British journalist David Dimbleby finds out what Russians see in Putin. From the deputy prime minister and kids loading their guns in a patriotic youth club to the protesters who accuse him of ‘criminal thuggery,’ this Putin documentary gives a fascinating insight.

Watch Putin's Russia and more acclaimed documentaries on BBC Select today. Restrictions apply*.

More documentaries you might like...

Subscribe to BBC Select for hundreds of hours of thought - provoking, award-winning and critically-acclaimed documentaries from the BBC and beyond.

Image of Ukraine flag colors and buildings in Mariupol

Mariupol: The People's Story

The people of Mariupol share powerful, shocking stories of bravery and loss in a war zone.

Image of Putin wearing sun glasses reflecting the British and US flags

Putin vs The West

The inside story on how Western leaders have struggled to deal with Putin over the years.

Watch Hong Kong's Fight for Freedom on BBC Select

Hong Kong's Fight for Freedom

Under attack from the authorities, four young Hongkongers resort to violence to defend their way of life.

Stream House of Saud on BBC Select

House of Saud

Meet the prince pledging to change the world in the House of Saud

Stream The Hunt for Bin Laden on BBC Select

The Hunt for Bin Laden

How was Osama Bin Laden able to evade capture despite the intense efforts to find him?

Is China Watching You

Is China Watching You?

Should we be worried about booming sales of Chinese-built surveillance equipment?

gay under the taliban

Gay Under The Taliban

The story of young, terrified LGBTQ people trapped in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

Inside Taiwan: Standing Up To China

Inside Taiwan: Standing Up To China

Could China's plans regarding Taiwan put the rest of the world in extreme danger?

Border Country

Border Country

What are borders, why are they created and how do they affect nations and individuals?

Boxing Day Tsunami

Boxing Day Tsunami

On Boxing Day, A tsunami hit Thailand leaving unimaginable wreckage for its victims.

Image of indian flag on the ground with a partition

India's Partition: The Forgotten Story

In 1947, India was divided in two leading to violence and death. Why did it happen?

Shamima Begum

The Shamima Begum Story: The Girl Who Joined ISIS

The story of notorious ISIS bride Shamima Begum told in her own words for the first time.

India: the Modi Question

Investigating tensions between the Indian Prime Minister and the country’s Muslim minority

Collage image of the US flag and the USSR symbol in the shape of a missile

The World's Biggest Bomb

Why did American then Soviet scientists race to explode the biggest bomb of all time?

The Amol Rajan Interviews: Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic discusses his incredible career and events during the pandemic

Watch The Hunt for Russia's Superyachts on BBC Select

The Hunt for Russia's Superyachts

A game of cat and mouse between superyacht hunters and Russia's superrich oligarchs.

Watch Tareena: Return From ISIS on BBC Select

Tareena: Return From ISIS

The extraordinary story of Tareena Shakil, the first British woman to be jailed when returning from ISIS.

Watch Mad Dog: Inside the Secret World of Muammar Gaddafi on BBC Select

Mad Dog: Inside the Secret World of Muammar Gaddafi

Regime of terror: a horrifying portrait of Libya’s leader from the insiders who made him.

Watch Afghanistan: The British Lion’s Last Roar? on BBC Select

Afghanistan: The British Lion’s Last Roar?

Why did the British army’s attempts at defeating the Taliban go so disastrously wrong?

Stream What If Putin Goes Nuclear Documentary

What If Putin Goes Nuclear?

As Putin put Russia's nuclear forces on high alert, could he really push the button?

Putin's War in Ukraine

Exploring the invasion of Ukraine, Putin's motives and the world's response.

Watch Prince Andrew and the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview on BBC Select

Prince Andrew and The Epstein Scandal – The Newsnight Interview

In this candid interview, Andrew reveals his connection to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Watch The Man Putin Couldn't Kill documentary on BBC Select

The Man Putin Couldn't Kill

Did Putin really try to kill a political rival with a plot involving poisoned underpants?

Stream the Prince and the Epstein Scandal on BBC Select

The Prince and The Epstein Scandal

As Prince Andrew steps back from the public eye, the victims of Jeffrey Epstein speak out

Watch North Korea: Voices from the Secret State on BBC Select

North Korea: Voices from the Secret State

The real lives of people trapped in the world’s most secretive state

Stream Fake News - A True History on BBC Select

Fake News: A True History

Fake news isn’t new: an entertaining look at 200 years of lies and the media

Stream Putin: A Russian Spy Story on BBC Select

Putin - A Russian Spy Story

The story of the Russian President’s rise to power.

Stream The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty on BBC Select

The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty

A story of succession. Rupert Murdoch and the sibling rivalry to inherit his empire.

BBC Select free trial

BBC Select is available on Amazon Prime Video Channels, the Apple TV app and The Roku Channel for only $4.99 a month. Start a 7-day free trial and watch a range of acclaimed documentaries from the BBC and beyond. Restrictions apply*.

Politics documentaries

From accounts of the 20th century's pivotal political events to biographies of modern political figures, BBC Select brings you documentaries about the politics that shape our world.

Thatcher and Reagan Documentary

Thatcher & Reagan

What was the attraction between these two world leaders and how did it change history?

Stream Kissinger: Statesman or War Criminal? on BBC Select

Kissinger: Statesman or War Criminal?

Henry Kissinger: canny political operator or a despicable war criminal?

Philippa Gregory's The Real White Queen And Her Rivals

The women at the heart of the bloody War of the Roses that helped shape British history.

The good drug

The Good Drug? The History, Politics, and Science of Psychedelics

Could psychedelic substances be used to treat a whole host of medical issues?

Turkey: Rise of Erdogans Empire

Turkey: The Rise of Erdogan's Empire

How did Recep Tayyip Erdogan become the most powerful leader in Turkey’s recent history?

Charles R: The Making of a Monarch

Charles R: The Making of a Monarch

An intimate portrait of King Charles told in his own words with rare archive footage.

Charles R: The Making of a Monarch

Charles R: The Making of a Monarch

An intimate portrait of King Charles told in his own words with rare archive footage.

Charles III: Will the King Change the Monarchy?

Charles III: Will the King Change the Monarchy?

Will the new king of the UK change the monarchy to help it survive in the modern world?

Rebellion: The Stuarts in Exile

Rebellion: The Stuarts In Exile

How much threat did the deposed Stuart dynasty pose to the developing British state?

Rebellion: The Stuarts in Exile

Rebellion: The Stuarts In Exile

How much threat did the deposed Stuart dynasty pose to the developing British state?

Charles III: Will the King Change the Monarchy?

Charles III: Will the King Change the Monarchy?

Will King Charles III adapt the British monarchy to suit modern times?

Edward VII: Prince of Pleasure

Edward VII: Prince of Pleasure

Unravelling the mystery of King Edward VII to understand how his legacy is still relevant today.

King George & Queen Mary The Royals Who rescued the Monarchy

King George and Queen Mary: The Royals Who Rescued the Monarchy

The pioneering reign of Elizabeth II's grandparents, King George and Queen Mary.

King George & Queen Mary The Royals Who rescued the Monarchy

King George and Queen Mary: The Royals Who Rescued the Monarchy

The pioneering reign of Elizabeth II's grandparents, King George and Queen Mary.

Born to be the king

Born To Be The King

What does the future hold for the heir to the British throne, Prince George?

Boxing Day Tsunami

Boxing Day Tsunami

On Boxing Day, A tsunami hit Thailand leaving unimaginable wreckage for its victims.

Philippa Gregory's The Real White Queen And Her Rivals

The women at the heart of the bloody War of the Roses that helped shape British history.

The Last Days Of Anne Boleyn

What led to the dramatic downfall and violent execution of Queen Anne Boleyn in 1536?

Philippa Gregory's The Real White Queen And Her Rivals

The women at the heart of the bloody War of the Roses that helped shape British history.

Ukraine: The People's Fight

Two months on the Ukrainian frontline battling alongside volunteer special forces.

Image of Putin wearing sun glasses reflecting the British and US flags

Putin vs The West

The inside story on how Western leaders have struggled to deal with Putin over the years.

Image of Ukraine flag colors and buildings in Mariupol

Mariupol: The People's Story

The people of Mariupol share powerful, shocking stories of bravery and loss in a war zone.

A silencer gun pointed at the white house

A Murder In Washington

An investigation into Seth Rich, a young staffer working for the Democrats, who was shot.

India: the Modi Question

Investigating tensions between the Indian Prime Minister and the country’s Muslim minority

Image of Henry VIII

Henry VIII's Enforcer: The Rise and Fall of Thomas Cromwell

Was Thomas Cromwell a corrupt, ambitious politician or has history unfairly maligned him?

The Amol Rajan Interviews: Billie Jean King

The tennis legend opens up about her incredible life and career

The Stuarts

Woman standing facing the right with British flags in the background

The Stuarts

The Stuart monarchs are considered merciless tyrants, but they also forged modern Britain.

Storming the Capitol: The Inside Story

Watch Hong Kong's Fight for Freedom on BBC Select

Hong Kong's Fight for Freedom

Under attack from the authorities, four young Hongkongers resort to violence to defend their way of life.

Magna Carta

David Starkey explores the origins of the Magna Carta

Watch Churchill's First World War on BBC Select

Churchill's First World War

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's extraordinary experiences during World War I.

Trump The Comeback Documentary

Trump: The Comeback?

Could Donald Trump return to the White House in 2024?

BBC When The Queen Spoke to the Nation

When the Queen Spoke to the Nation

Exploring the Queen’s annual Christmas Day messages and other special addresses.

Leaving Afghanistan BBC

Leaving Afghanistan

Exploring attempts to end the war in Afghanistan

Stream BBC at War on BBC Select

BBC at War

This enthralling series asks, how much did World War II shape the personality of the BBC?

Watch 1945: The Savage Peace on BBC Select

1945: The Savage Peace

Cruelty towards Germans began to escalate after World War II.

Stream Could Hitler Have Been Stopped? on BBC Select

Could Hitler Have Been Stopped?

Leading historians debate whether Adolf Hitler and the Nazis could have been stopped.

Stream Churchill: Winning the War, Losing the Peace on BBC Select

Churchill: Winning the War, Losing the Peace

Why was Winston Churchill ousted from power after World War II?

Watch KKK: The Fight for White Supremacy? on BBC Select

KKK: The Fight for White Supremacy?

What drives people to join America's infamous white supremacist group, the Ku Klux Klan?

The Whistleblowers: Inside the UN

Does the United Nations punish whistleblowers and protect abusers to cover up the truth?

The Rise and Fall of the Super League

The rise and rapid fall of soccer’s European Super League

Ukraine Lessons from the Battlefield BBC

Ukraine: Lessons From the Battlefield

Understanding how the conflict in Ukraine may reshape both history and future conflict.

Watch Zelensky: The Making of a President on BBC Select

Zelensky: The Making of a President

The transformation of Ukraine's President Zelensky from comic to respected world leader.

Watch Mad Dog: Inside the Secret World of Muammar Gaddafi on BBC Select

Mad Dog: Inside the Secret World of Muammar Gaddafi

Regime of terror: a horrifying portrait of Libya’s leader from the insiders who made him.

Watch Louis Theroux: The Ultra Zionists on BBC Select

Louis Theroux: The Ultra Zionists

Louis Theroux gets close to the extreme end of the West Bank’s Jewish settler movement.

Watch Gandhi on BBC Select

Gandhi

His reputation is uncontroversial. The reality couldn’t be more different.

Watch Louis Theroux: The Return Of America’s Most Hated Family on BBC Select

Louis Theroux: The Return Of America’s Most Hated Family

What happens when you’ve become the US’s most reviled family? Louis pays another visit.

Watch Trump Takes on the World on BBC Select

Trump Takes on the World

Donald Trump's top advisers lift the lid on the critical moments of his foreign policy.

Watch The Cult of Consiracy: QAnon documentary on BBC Select

The Cult of Conspiracy: QAnon

Who are QAnon and what effect are they having on US democracy?

Watch The Man Putin Couldn't Kill documentary on BBC Select

The Man Putin Couldn't Kill

Did Putin really try to kill a political rival with a plot involving poisoned underpants?

Stream Nixon - In the Den on BBC Select

Nixon in the Den

Was President Nixon a visionary on China? Davin Reynolds investigates in Nixon in the Den

Watch China: A New World Order on BBC Select

China: A New World Order

President Xi Jinping’s extraordinary first years ruling China.

Stream Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History on BBC Select

Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History

From slavery to settlement, award-winning historian David Olusoga explores the history of black Britain.

Stream Are You Scared Yet, Human? on BBC Select

Are You Scared Yet, Human?

Should we worry about the effect that Artificial Intelligence could have on our lives?

Stream The Trump Show on BBC Select

The Trump Show

Protests, impeachment, and a pandemic: A front row seat to Trump’s unpredictable Presidency.

Stream American History's Biggest Fibs on BBC Select

American History's Biggest Fibs

American history is fake, fact? Historian Lucy Worlsey delves deeper into US mythology.