Johnson’s woes / Putin’s foes: Inside the 17 December Guardian Weekly

Britain's PM in the line of fire; Russia's president in the firing line.
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This week's Guardian Weekly has two very different covers, depending on where you pick up your copy of the magazine. In the UK it's all about Boris Johnson who, just two years ago, was the hero of Brexit-supporting Tories after a thumping general election victory. Now, damaging revelations about an illicit lockdown Christmas party at Downing Street last year - on the back of a series of other scandals - have pushed the prime minister close to the exit door of No 10. Toby Helm, Michael Savage and Jamie Grierson ask how it all came to this.

Outside the UK, our international editions lead on fears that Vladimir Putin may be about to launch an invasion of Ukraine, where a massive buildup of troops is taking place on Russia's side of the border. Why is Russia's president on the brink of war, and what can the west do to stop it? In Ukraine, Luke Harding finds resignation, while in Moscow, Andrew Roth hears why Kremlinologists fear the worst.