<b>THE RISE & FALL OF THE RUSSIAN OLIGARCHS PART 1 OF 3</b> <br />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. <b>For the majority of Russians, the transition to a market system was painful and chaotic - and anything but democratic.</b> 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. <br /><br />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. <b>They're powerful men with powerful enemies,</b> 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. <br /><p></p>
