Archive: Killer in the Kremlin, with John Sweeney

Feb 21, 2024

John Sweeney, a British investigative journalist known for confronting dictators, discusses the shocking death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He analyzes Vladimir Putin's tyrannical reign, marked by state-sponsored violence against dissenters. The conversation delves into Putin's enigmatic health and the potential implications for his leadership. Sweeney also reflects on the ongoing Ukraine conflict, shedding light on the challenges facing the Russian military and the broader effects on global politics.

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INSIGHT

Putin's Soviet Nostalgia

Putin's unwavering attachment to the Soviet Union stems from his absence during its collapse.
He never grasped the reasons for its demise: the Afghanistan war, Chernobyl, and economic stagnation.

ANECDOTE

Putin's Rise: Gangsterism and KGB

Putin's background reveals a blend of gangsterism and KGB influence, shaping his rule.
His rise involved leveraging athletic scholarships and exploiting KGB connections.

ANECDOTE

Moscow Bombings and Its Aftermath

The 1999 Moscow apartment bombings, possibly a KGB operation, boosted Putin's popularity.
Subsequent investigations into these bombings resulted in deaths and disappearances.

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The recent death of Russian anti-corruption activist, opposition leader and political prisoner Alexei Navalny while serving a decades-long sentence in a remote Arctic penal colony shocked the world last week. But for those watching the erosion of free expression in Russia closely over recent years, sadly the news may have felt like more of a matter of grim inevitability rather than one of complete surprise. Back in July 2022, we heard from British investigative journalist and author, John Sweeney. In 2022 he had just published a book, Killer in the Kremlin, a study of the brutal tyranny of Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has maintained his grip on power in Moscow for now nearly a quarter of a century. Putin’s rule has left a trail of political opponents imprisoned, exiled, silenced or worse in its wake. As well as reporting from the war in Ukraine, John Sweeney has covered stories for the BBC confronting dictators, despots, cult leaders, con artists and crooked businessmen for many years. For this episode, he was speaking to Carl Miller, co-founder of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at the think tank, Demos. Miller is also author of The Death of the Gods: The New Global Power Grab, and is a Fellow at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime.

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