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Alexander Shchetinin was found in his home after his friends tried to visit him.

His body was found with a gunshot wound to the head in his apartment in Kiev, Ukraine.

Mr Shchetinin was a vocal critic of the Russian president.

Ukrainian police have said they are currently treating Shchetinin's death as a suicide.

(Image: FACEBOOK)

The journalist was reportedly found sitting on a chair, with a gun lying beneath it, on his birthday.

He had sent emails to one of his loved ones where he said he wanted to kill himself.

Shchetinin had renounced his Russian citizenship before becoming a Ukrainian national and settling in Kiev.

He set up the Novy Region news agency and called Putin his "personal enemy".

(Image: FACEBOOK)

Spent bullets were found around him and the door to his apartment was locked, according to local news Kyiv Operatyvni.

Police in Ukraine are continuing to probe the death.

The former soviet state fears an impending Russian invasion with 40,000 troops massed along the disputed border.

Putin is fuming after he accused Kiev of using "terrorist tactics" and plotting a special forces attack in annexed Crimea.