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. In Killer in the Kremlin, award-winning journalist John Sweeney takes readers from the heart of Putin's Russia to the killing fields of Chechnya, to the embattled cities of an invaded Ukraine.

Dealing with someone as secretive and reviled as Putin, it is tempting for his enemies to believe any speculation suggesting he may be ill. But isn’t there a danger that journalists give too much credence to rumours, yearning for them to be true rather than proving it? 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). It is natural that decisions about editorial balance can cause tensions between passionate journalists working on high-profile stories. Sarah Rainsford, the BBC correspondent who was banned from Russia last year, recently told i of her own frustrations while covering Moscow. 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. 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"Sweeney intercuts Putins story with his own experience of the leader of Russia and more importantly the people Putin has affected. Dissidents, residents and citizens of Russia have felt his wrath and sweepy injects these story with the humanity that they should be afforded, recognising their bravery in the face of such a monstrous power. As well as revealing the harshest sights of war, he also wants to show contrasting moments of celebration and light relief that keep him going, the kinds of experiences that he says make life in Ukraine worth fighting for.

Is Sweeney also too optimistic on Ukraine’s chances in the war? He states in his book: “I believe that sooner rather than later the Russian Army will be defeated and Vladimir Putin will be humiliated.” 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) Putin is the main war criminal of the 21st century.' IRYNA VENEDIKTOVA, UKRAINE’S PROSECUTOR-GENERALHer lover was so unrecognisable that Alyona could not find him in the morgue until the supervisor pointed out his name tag to her. This was in 2003. The poisonings and the shootings had only just begun. Investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya? Poisoned, later shot. Human rights activist Natasha Estemirova? Shot. Politician Boris Nemtsov? Shot. Opposition leader Alexey Navalny? Poisoned, now in jail. John Sweeney is an award-winning journalist and author, who brings a novel to the layman that truly confirms the Russian powers mindset - "Oderint dum metuant. Let them hate so long as they fear."