Russia: The Empire Strikes Back Episode Rating Graph

The fall of the Iron Curtain was heralded in Europe as a new era of freedom and democracy. But for Russia, it marked the loss of an empire. The BBC's Steve Rosenberg explores how Moscow views the tumultuous events of 1989 and how Russia is trying to regain its global and regional influence. Could the coronavirus pandemic thwart Vladimir Putin's bid to make Russia great again?

The fall of the Iron Curtain was heralded in Europe as a new era of freedom and democracy. But for Russia it marked the loss of an empire. The BBC's Steve Rosenberg explores how Moscow views the tumultuous events of 1989 and how Russia is trying to regain its global and regional influence. Could the coronavirus pandemic thwart Vladimir Putin’s bid to make Russia great again?