Otto Warmbier was an American student who visited North Korea in January 2016 as part of a guided tour. However, he was arrested at the airport just before he was scheduled to leave the country and was accused of stealing a propaganda poster from his hotel. He was subsequently sentenced to 15 years of hard labor.

Warmbier was held captive in North Korea for 17 months, during which time he reportedly suffered severe physical and mental abuse. He was eventually released in a comatose state and returned to the United States in June 2017. He died less than a week later at the age of 22.

The exact circumstances surrounding Warmbier’s death remain unclear, but it is believed that he suffered extensive brain damage while in captivity. His family has accused North Korea of torturing and murdering him, while the North Korean government claims that he fell into a coma after contracting botulism and taking a sleeping pill.

The case of Otto Warmbier has been a source of international controversy and has contributed to strained relations between North Korea and the United States. Klaus Scherer, a veteran foreign correspondent, sets out to discover the truth of Warmbier’s captivity. He interviews those with knowledge of the case and traces the court process that includes the findings of a Cincinnati coroner.

FRONTLINE investigates Russian President Vladimir Putin’s clashes with five American presidents as he’s tried to rebuild the Russian empire.

Drawing on in-depth conversations with insiders from five U.S. presidential administrations, former U.S. intelligence leaders, diplomats, Russian politicians, authors and journalists, “Putin and the Presidents” reveals how the miscalculations and missteps of multiple American presidents over two decades paved the way for Putin’s attack on Ukraine — as seen through the eyes of people who were in the room.

The documentary traces how, prior to launching the war on Ukraine, Putin tested the waters by defying American presidents for 20 years — including by invading Georgia, seizing Crimea, and interfering in a U.S. presidential election. The documentary provides unique insight into the icy relationship between Putin and current U.S. President Joe Biden, both of whom were shaped by the Cold War, and into the evolution of Putin’s grievances with the U.S. and the West.

As Russia’s war on Ukraine continues, “Putin and the Presidents” gives essential context for this historic moment.

“Putin and the Presidents” is a FRONTLINE production with the Kirk Documentary Group. The director is Michael Kirk. The producers are Michael Kirk, Mike Wiser and Vanessa Fica. The writers are Michael Kirk and Mike Wiser. The reporter is Vanessa Fica. The editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath.