experience, but a long career in espionage. most recently head of the shadowy federal security service, formerly the kgb. longtime spy in germany. secretary of yeltsin's advisory council, with sensitive, powerful kremlin inner circle. and fiercely loyal to the president. and in another -- he names putin -- but also his choice for president in next year's election. >> notably, just a month after that report aired, putin solidified his power by positioning himself as a strongman in response to a series of horrific apartment bombings across russia. it left more than 300 dead. the attacks were formally blamed on chechen terrorists. there's quite a bit of suspicion to the state surrounding who actually set off those bombs. the bombings provided an excuse for putin to order an invasion of chechen -- the church and war. it is how putin came to power.