Alexander Goldfarb said the book "would haunt Putin the way the image of the killed Tsarevich haunted Boris Godunov." According to Oleg Gordievsky, "For clues as to who wanted Alexander Litvinenko dead, you need look no farther than his book Blowing Up Russia" Sunday Times described the book as "A vivid condemnation of the Putin regime".
Alexander Goldfarb believed that the book would have a similar effect on Putin to how the image of the murdered Tsarevich affected Boris Godunov. Oleg Gordievsky indicated, "To determine who was behind Alexander Litvinenko's death, you should read his book Blowing Up Russia." The Sunday Times characterized it as "A scathing condemnation of the Putin regime."