Russia's Elite Want Putin Out, Successor in Mind: Ukraine Intel Chief 'Newsweek'

[Quixote1818]

BY THOMAS KIKA ON 3/20/22 AT 1:51 PM EDT


Russian elites are allegedly planning to remove President Vladimir Putin, according to Ukrainian intelligence, with a successor already in mind.

The incendiary claim came from the Chief Directorate of Intelligence for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on Sunday via a post on the ministry's official Facebook page. The post boldly begins with, "Poisoning, sudden disease, accident—Russian elite considers the possibility of removing Putin."

"In the environment of the Russian business and political elite, a group of influential persons opposing [Vladimir Putin] is formed," the post reads. "Their goal is to remove Putin from power as soon as possible and restore economic ties with the West, destroyed due to the war in Ukraine."

The alleged group is not only planning to potentially assassinate Putin, the post claims, it has also decided on a potential successor: Alexander Bortnikov, who currently serves as Russia's Federal Security Service director, and headed up the analysis of the Ukrainian population and military capabilities ahead of the recent invasion.

More: https://www.newsweek.com/russias-elite-want-putin-out-successor-mind-ukraine-intel-chief-1689830

[riversedge]

1. umm.. Could this be Ukaine proganda to make Putin look weak?? Just asking as it

seems to real??

[dchill]

2. Ukrainian psyop?

[empedocles]

3. putin likely to hear of it - good.

[dchill]

4. Oh, I'm all for it. He's paranoid.

If it gets repeated enough, he'll believe it.

[Chainfire]

5. Most likely. I hope that it has some basis in truth.

Putin must be beside himself without already without having additional worries about an internal coup. Why the poor old boy may not be sleeping well. Bless his heart...

[dchill]

7. It only has to have the appearance of possibility to work.

We're talking Kremlin, here.

[Torchlight]

6. If Putin is interrupting their income flow, I can see it happening.

Long term interruptions, far beyond the immediacy of the sanctions and boycotts. Interruptions that will have decades of lasting consequences.

If the rich fear their power-base is being tampered with to their disadvantage, or worse, they believe Putin perceives them as pawns rather than as his employer, I'd think all bets are off.

Few things are more desperate than a rich man who thinks circumstances will dictate he's forced to live like the 99%.

[dchill]

8. It only needs Putin to believe it.

[Torchlight]

9. If that is the goal, maybe yes.

But given the narrative that he is as paranoid as he is, I doubt there are more unused measures left for him to further insulate himself from any threats to his person.

[dchill]

11. He'll be trying to have his perceived enemies killed.

Some of them won't like that.

[Torchlight]

12. Quite possibly.

He's been removing political enemies ever since he worked in the St Petersburg mayor's office.

For anyone who wants to know the fundamentals about the man, his political tactics, or the mechanisms he used to attain his current position, 'Putin's People' by Catherine Belton and 'The Man without a Face' by Masha Gessen are the two primers I'd suggest to anyone dipping their toes in the pool of who he is.

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Plus he's been called evil, so the West is giving Russia a landing strip and an airplane

Let's see if they're smart enough to take it.

[SheltieLover]

13. Here's a novel idea: how about Russia hold a fair election to replace pootin?

[maxsolomon]

15. Ha, good one!

He's fixed the constitution so he's President for Life.

[msfiddlestix]

17. ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ n/t

[maxsolomon]

14. This kind of loose talk going to get Russian Elites purged.

Poisoned, Jailed, Murdered. Putin's already talking Purification. That may be the point of the post.

I don't a lot of empathy for Russian Elites, but I don't think they deserve death as the hands of the FSB.

[UTUSN]

16. In this frying pan, the fire looks good.

[wanda4rafi]

18. Maybe not a good idea to name Bortnikov, if he's still in Russia

His life could get real iffy.