Russian President Vladimir Putin is considered a “cynical and strategic guy” to many in the outside world.

But according to a man who has followed his career closely for some time, Mr Putin is inept on a number of fronts.

Russian journalist – and former editor-in-chief of the country’s only independent TV station, Dozhd – Mikhail Zygar played a key role in Monday’s episode of Q&A, in which he criticised Mr Putin for showing less “strategical thinking” than US President Donald Trump in his first decade of presidency.

“Trump had a plan. He said he will run for President. He [Putin] had no plan,” Mr Zygar said.

“He hasn’t got a strategy in economy, in domestic policy, in foreign policy.”

Dozhd was removed from Russia’s cable and satellite TV frequencies by the Kremlin – but that won’t stop Mr Zygar from criticising President Putin’s failures as a leader.

He cited Mr Putin’s ill-fated bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as particularly humiliating for Russia’s President.

What are the chances Trump & Putin will clash due to their personalities? @zygaro & Paul Beatty respond #QandA pic.twitter.com/9McnwJFeFn

— QandA (@QandA) May 22, 2017

“He really wanted to feel respected. He wanted Russia to become part of NATO and be invited to NATO,” he said.

“He filled out the application form and sent it off … He felt humiliated.

“That feeling when you’re humiliated when you’re the President of an ex-Russian empire is not the feeling, it spoiled his psychology.

“He really wanted to be treated as an equal partner. He felt he was neglected.”

Mr Zygar also spoke about the scare-tactics the Kremlin use to keep President Putin in office, as he prepares to seek re-election.

Mr Putin has been President of Russia from 2000 to 2008, and 2012 onwards.

“Officially 86 per cent [of the Russian public] approve of Mr Putin [as president] but when the landline phone is ringing and you pick up the receiver and you are asked, ‘Are you Mikhail Zygar and you were born January 31, and your passport number, etc’, you stand up and you know that everything that you say is recorded and they know who you are,” he said.

“That number we’ve got means that at least 14 per cent actually dared to confess they don’t like Mr Putin.”

The real reason Putin likes Trump?

The Q&A panel also heavily discussed the fascination Mr Putin and Mr Trump have with each other in a wide-ranging episode that also touched on racial discrimination and religion.

Mr Zygar said Mr Trump’s likeness to Mr Putin’s favourite US President played a big role in the Russian President’s admiration for his counterpart.

Mr Zygar said Mr Putin’s favourite US President is actually fictional character, Frank Underwood, from hit Netflix show House of Cards.

“I was really surprised when I have heard that for the first time that he recommends his freshly appointed ministers to watch all the seasons of House Of Cards because you must know the enemy and that’s how the American system works. You must watch it all and you’re going to understand what we’re facing,” Mr Zygar said.

“He really believes and he thinks that he could deal with Frank Underwood. So that’s why he can deal with Donald Trump.”