An original and informative look at the character of Russian leaders throughout history and why they think so differently to the rest of the world. Martin Sixsmith, acknowledged expert on Russia, history and politics argues that it is impossible to understand Vladimir Putin unless he is seen in the wider context of Russian history. All the forces that condition Putin's behaviour, his attitude to the outside world, his desire for political domination and his unrelenting brutality can be traced from Muscovy, Boris Godunov, Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, Stalin and right up to the present day. In other words, there is a mindset, the psyche of Russian dictators which has changed little since early days. The terror of encirclement and of invasion by outsiders. Obsessive cruelty and wilful lack of concern for the loss of human life - Stalin sacrificed the lives of millions of Russians to drive back Hitler's troops. A complete lack of concern for what outsiders may think of Russia. The sanctification of the concept of Holy Russia, Mother Russia where the Russian Orthodox Church is too often manipulated by the State to condone the mindless butchery of human beings in the pursuit of an end and purpose which it justified. Nowhere are these factors more obvious than in the present Russian invasion of Ukraine, which thanks to this book, we will understand a great deal better.