Ukraine: Putin moving towards 'Plan B’ says James Rogers
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Anger in Moscow towards Russian President Vladimir Putin is growing, according to reports. Vladimir Osechkin – a man wanted for his work exposing abuse in Russia’s prisons – this week claimed that he had spoken to a source within the Russian security service, the FSB, who suggested there is anger in the organisation. As Russian forces struggle to make progress on the ground in Ukraine, Mr Osechkin says Putin blames FSB officers for the botched operation.
Speaking to The Times, Mr Osechkin said: “For every week and every month that this war continues, the possibility of a rebellion by those in the security services increases.”
Putin has ruled Russia for over 20 years when his years in office are combined, excluding a four-year spell when his ally Dmitry Medvedev took over.
During that time, he has used his power to quash his critics and maintain his vice-like grip over the country.
But recent events have left Putin fearing for his political future, as well as his life, according to Russia expert Fiona Hill.
The former US National Security Council official told NBC News last month that Putin is “paranoid” about a potential assassination attempt.
She said: “Any kind of loose talk about somebody taking him out, regime change – he believes we’re in that business anyway.
“He looks at what the US has done, he says it openly all the time – in Libya, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and many other places where we’ve intervened and he looks at that and thinks, I’m not going to let that happen here in Russia. He’s extremely paranoid about this.”
In February, Dr Hill spoke to Politico and was asked whether Putin would launch his nuclear weapons.
She said: “Every time you think, ’No, he wouldn’t, would he?’ Well, yes, he would.
“And he wants us to know that, of course. It’s not that we should be intimidated and scared. We have to prepare for those contingencies and figure out what it is that we’re going to do to head them off.”
Speaking to news.com.au this week, Russia Expert at Chatham House Nikolai Petrov claimed that Putin’s assassinator would most likely be a woman.
He went on to suggest that a member of the Russian President’s own family could take his life, and said: “I believe that if there is an assassination attempt, that might come from a female.
“Maybe a member of his family, his mistress, his daughter, his ex-wife – somebody who knows him and could actually get close to him.
“The possibility (of assassination) is increasing.”
Putin recently came under further fire from Russian billionaires Mikhail Fridman and Oleg Deripaska, who broke ranks with the Kremlin and called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Mr Fridman said: “My parents are Ukrainian citizens and live in Lviv, my favourite city. But I have also spent much of my life as a citizen of Russia, building and growing businesses.
“I am deeply attached to Ukrainian and Russian peoples and see the current conflict as a tragedy for them both.
“This crisis will cost lives and damage two nations who have been brothers for hundreds of years.
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“While a solution seems frighteningly far off, I can only join those whose fervent desire is for the bloodshed to end.”
With Russia refusing to back down in its invasion of Ukraine, US President Joe Biden has warned the Kremlin against the use of chemical weapons.
He said NATO “would respond” if Russia uses chemical weapons in Ukraine.
Speaking after meetings of NATO and the G7, he said: “We would respond. We would respond if he uses it [chemical weapons].
“The nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use.”
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