I'm interested in reading these stories, are there any particular links you can suggest?

You'll have an absolute blast reading Red Notice by Browder. It's about a hedge fund guy that ends up in Russia during the privatization period, quickly realizes the country is getting looted and wants a big slice for himself. It's a true-ish story, written like a spy novel, with many fascinating details about this unique period in history.

The book Red Notice by Bill Browder discusses this period. I wish the Netflix movie of the same name was based on it instead!

> with the help and active involvement of the West

Yes, many ascendants had contact with the West. It’s how they played the game so well at the start of shock therapy. In most cases, they hired the right consultants who helped them do things like hoover up shares from people who didn’t know better to build a controlling stake. But to get to that point, they’d already accumulated assets.

The West enabled the rise of Russia’s oligarchs. But it didn’t mint them.