Killer in the Kremlin: The instant bestseller - a gripping and explosive account of Vladimir Putin's tyranny

Product Information

Sweeney’s polemic largely consists of digging up everything possible that shows Putin in a bad light, which admittedly is not a difficult task, but suggestions that he was simultaneously a paedophile and a womaniser, a supplier of arms to the Baader-Meinhoff gang, a hypochondriac and the richest man in the word are all open to question. He plans to return to Ukraine next month. For now he is enjoying his break with friends and family. He is no longer married but is “still pals” with his ex-wife, and is glad of a chance to see his children. It’s been great chatting but now he has to dash for an urgent appointment: an Umbrian wine tasting. A friend wrote: “Yuri’s condition worsened by the hour. His temperature rose continuously. His mucous membranes were swollen and his kidneys were failing. Then the worst began. His skin began to peel off as though he had suffered severe burns. Even a layman could see what was happening: it was either due to radiation or to some unknown poisons.” I am a student of the causes of WW1. One thing I am certain of is that if the Kaiser, the Emperor, the Tsar and the Caliphate knew where they would be five years hence from 2014, they would have done their utmost to have stopped that war from starting. I wonder if Putin will be in a similar situation. Once you start a war you never know where it will take you.

Afraid this is just poor. The book starts out with some passionate, melodramatic self-aggrandising about Sweeney's adventures in Ukraine, which could have been interesting if spun out into an examination of the present, Russia's crimes and the impact he's observed in Ukrainian society. Instead, the bulk of the book is focused on paraphrasing the works of other, better books with the addition of being written by a somewhat manic Steve Zissou figure. He's obviously been reading Masha Gessen, heavily - no bad thing because her books are great - but if you want a book examining Putin and taking guesses as to what's wrong with him then read The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin, which is truly excellent. I share many of the author’s views on the current Kremlin regime, especially that the invasion of Ukraine was not only morally indefensible but was also a serious military mistake. There is one section of the book, however, that I found to be infuriatingly selective with the truth.

Words have power, Putin is afraid of the truth, I have always said that.' ALEXEI NAVALNY, LEADER OF THE RUSSIAN OPPOSITION I have certainly met him without officials,” Johnson told the Commons Liaison Committee on 6 July, and confirmed: “I met him in Italy.” Alexander Lebedev (left) with his son Evgeny in London in 2018 (Photo: David M. Benett/Getty) In the midst of one of the darkest acts of aggression in modern history - Russia's invasion of Ukraine - this book shines a light on Putin's rule and poses urgent questions about how the world must respond. John Sweeney is a distinguished award winning investigative journalist, working in the past for many news outlets including BBC’s Panorama and Newsnight as well as Channel 4’s Dispatches. He has reported fearlessly from Chechnya and Ukraine and witnessed scenes that no-one should see. Perhaps a year ago, the BBC and others would include a Kremlin denial in such a way that it looked like it was providing balance,” she said. “When that Kremlin denial is a lie, and you know it’s a lie, I feel very strongly – more than ever – that you need to say this is just nonsense.”

Russian president Boris Yeltsin shakes hands with prime minister Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the presidential residence Gorky-9 outside Moscow, November 1999 In response, a spokesperson for the broadcaster tells i: “The BBC does not agree with John Sweeney’s characterisation of events and strongly rejects his insinuations about our independence and our journalism.” John Sweeney is the author of new book ‘Killer in the Kremlin: The Explosive Account of Putin’s Reign of Terror’ (Photo: Liam Kennedy) When John Sweeney bought his flat in Perugia a few years ago, it seemed like a perfect bolthole from the pressures of journalism. He has certainly appreciated the quiet of his Italian apartment’s whitewashed rooms these last few days, after weeks of reporting on the conflict in Ukraine. Who did you take to Palazzo Terranova in 2018? Have you ever received money or favours in kind from the Lebedevs beyond the ones that you’ve declared? Did you tell them what went on inside the Nato meeting? Have you been talking too much to a Russian spy?” What he saw in Bucha “is terrible”, but “the idea that you’re in a dark place, then you’re not allowed to laugh – that’s nonsense.”At first I was worried this book wouldn’t offer much which was new, but Sweeney’s career holding Putin to account, as well as his highly personable writing style, ensured there was much new material to learn from in this book. Though the book can at times feel too personal and he does portray himself as a lad journalist against the world (this was in no part helped by the books narrator who injected the reading with the bravado of a nuts magazine editor).

Sweeney argues the suggestion that Putin has cancer “isn’t just gossip”. He points to a Russian investigation that indicated a cancer doctor had accompanied Putin on 35 trips between 2016 and 2019: “That’s good journalism.”

Retailers:

You may succeed in silencing one man but the howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life - Alexander Litvinenko" UkraineAlert is a comprehensive online publication that provides regular news and analysis on developments in Ukraine’s politics, economy, civil society, and culture. UkraineAlert sources analysis and commentary from a wide-array of thought-leaders, politicians, experts, and activists from Ukraine and the global community. He travelled there again in April 2018. Foreign Secretary at the time, Johnson was later photographed on his way home “ looking like he had slept in his clothes”. Evgeny Lebedev and Boris Johnson at one of their earliest meetings, at the Royal Opera House in London in 2009 (Photo: Dave M. Benett/Getty) An explosive account of Putin's presidency and his long-term ambitions, including first-hand reporting from the invasion of Ukraine.

IranSource provides a holistic look at Iran’s internal dynamics, global and regional policies, and posture through unique analysis of current events and long-term, strategic issues related to Iran. Sweeney himself comes across as a mix of Humphrey Bogart and Hunter S. His fearlessness to put himself into the sights of powerful establishment figures and ask the important questions like "Why did Russian anti-aircraft guns shoot down an air Malaysia flight?" To Putin is astounding. a Royal Television Society prize (2004) for "Angela's Hope," a BBC One documentary about a woman wrongly convicted of murdering her three babies. Our programs and centers deliver in-depth, highly relevant issue briefs and reports that break new ground, shift opinions, and set agendas on public policy, with a focus on advancing debates by integrating foundational research and analysis with concrete policy solutions. The personal tone of this book was both a strength and a weakness. It was one of the most approachable books I've read on Russia. It covers a lot of dark topics, but felt somewhat light and gossip-y. I enjoyed hearing about the author's recent experiences in Ukraine and about his interviews with people living there now. It was a vivid look at the current events that inspired me to start this reading project. On the other hand, the author's tone sometimes felt too light for the topic. His jokes and cultural references were hit or miss for me. I minded them less as the book went on, because it became clear that this is a topic that author cares about very much.The “drunken rage” may exist in Sweeney’s imagination and the “might of Russia” that he refers to was non-existent at the time. Untrained conscripts were sent to their deaths against tough Chechen fighters led by experienced commanders, including Dzhokhar Dudayev and Aslan Maskhadov, who had been senior Soviet officers. Putin subsequently invaded Georgia and hundreds more lives were lost. He helped Assad in Syria kill around half a million. In 2014, he invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine leading to 15,000 deaths. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine this February has added to the butcher’s bill: maybe 40,000 Russian soldiers, 15,000 Ukrainian troops and many thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died so far. Leaving aside Syria, the master of the Kremlin is directly responsible for the deaths of some 150,000 people.