Ten years that shook the world: How the west discounted then overvalued Vladimir Putin

This was a decade of fake news, the Pussy Riot trial, attempted murder in Salisbury, Russian soldiers ‘on holiday in the Donbas’ – and a multitude of lies designed to deflect Russian blame in the downing of the MH17 passenger jet. Oliver Carroll reflects

What will the Russian leader’s next move be? (AFP/Getty)

The past decade in Russia has seen politics move a lot faster than technology.

Rewind to 2010, and it was all smiles, open shirts and blue jeans as the White House brought Russia’s president to the west coast to demonstrate a “reset” in relations. Dmitry Medvedev – remember him? – joined American officials in a tour of Silicon Valley tech giants. He wrote his first Tweet (“Hello everyone! I’m on Twitter and this is my first message!”). He visited Google and Cisco. He stopped by for a chat with Steve Jobs.

After handing the thrilled Medvedev a new iPhone 4, Jobs suggested the Russian president take “inspiration” from the Apple way. Medvedev, who liked to think of himself as reformer, no doubt dreamt of such things. But history rendered such liberal hopes obsolete. When asked, Medvedev stepped aside for a returning Vladimir Putin, and the Kremlin rejected any idea of evolutionary product updates.