RISING through the ranks of Russia's elite and consolidating his power, Vladimir Putin weaponised sex and secrets to crush his political opponents.

The former KGB officer used underhanded espionage tactics to disgrace his enemies - a spying strategy called kompromat, experts told The Sun.

The term, which translates roughly to "compromising material", refers to damaging information obtained by a perpetrator to discredit or blackmail a victim.

These slanderous details can include "debt, sexual activity, gambling habits, drinking or anything else," former British intelligence officer Philip Ingram told The Sun.

But the Kremlin also uses kompromat for control - only trusting those with "blotted copy books " and therefore "guaranteed loyalty", Russian espionage expert Mark Harrison sa

See Full Page