Absolutely gripping deeply authoritative hugely important and lethally luridSimon Sebag Montefiore Sunday Times bestselling author of The World A Family HistoryYevgeny Prigozhin emerged as one of the most dangerous warlords in the world and as one of Vladimir Putins chief rivals in Russias tumultuous political climate exiled after leading Wagners attempted coup and killed in a mysterious plane crash. But what is the truth about this enigmatic figure his role in the war with Ukraine and the chaos unleashed across Russia by his turn against Putin And in the aftermath of his death what is next for Russia in the new stage of late Putinism that Prigozhins life forgedDrawing on years of research this book traces the rise of Russias most prominent nonstate actor and examines the political climate that propelled a convicted gangster with no government office to the formidable role he came to occupy. An essential story of Russias recent history Downfall is also a compelling insight into its likely future.