Vladimir Putin is now more powerful than ever and as long as he lives there is no one to take his power in Russia. This was stated in an interview with The Sun by political scientist Nikolay Petrov, former right-hand man of Boris Yeltsin.
The former adviser to the Russian government believes that Putin is irreplaceable and practically no one can depose him because of the iron fist with which he rules the federation.
According to Nikolay Petrov, Putin's reign and his terror will continue, and the regime seems stable. This is also due to the fact that the Russian elites continue to stand behind Putin, who is 72 years old.
According to the political expert, after the death of Putin, chaos may occur in Russia, because at the moment there is no strong enough figure to succeed him. Russia's authoritarian system is widely accepted in the nation because citizens have been indoctrinated by Kremlin propaganda for decades, he explained.
But for many Russians - including elites - Putin's lifestyle and the society he has created are seen as the norm. Without Putin at the helm, the entire system could collapse within months.
Nikolai Petrov points out that after the death of Putin, a period of chaos can be expected with two scenarios: the rise of a new tyrant to the top or the restoration of democracy. However, the second option is not very likely because of the war against Ukraine.
A struggle for power will begin, and it is not excluded that a military coup will be reached and in the end the strongest will win. Nikolay Petrov gives the example of Ramzan Kadyrov, who has his own army. Recently, there has been talk of Putin's deteriorating health. The Kremlin claims that there is no truth in the claims that he is seriously ill.