A retired General of the Russian secret service, Yevgeny Savostyanov, accused Vladimir Putin of being “terribly scared” on Friday, fueling rumours about the Russian president’s unstable position.
Speculations about Putin’s declining health, mental acumen, and position have swelled since before he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The rumours have only intensified in the year since the war began, especially as the military’s failings in Ukraine have led to whispers of a Kremlin plot to depose Putin or that a successor is being prepared.
Putin has also faced criticism for misreading the West’s resolve to stand up to him and not realizing his army’s incompetence.
Additionally, Putin’s physical health has been questioned as video footage shows him struggling with motor control, coughing fits, and seemingly tapping his feet.
According to Savostyanov, Putin’s problems were self-inflicted by going to war, and he is now “clinging to any opportunity to win.”
Savostyanov predicts that Putin and his inner circle will nominate a successor after more than two decades at the helm to avoid being forcibly deposed as his health deteriorates and his grip on power weakens.
Savostyanov suspects that this figure will be Dmitry Patrushev, agriculture minister and son of Putin’s hardline security advisor Nikolai Patrushev.
»Yevgeny Savostyanov, accused Vladimir Putin of being “terribly scared”«
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