– There are probably almost no members of the elite who are happy with Putin. The business community and many members of the government are unhappy that the president started the war without thinking about the scope of sanctions. It is impossible to live with such sanctions, a source close to the Kremlin told the independent Russian website Jellyfish.
According to several sources, the Kremlin will now discuss Vladimir Putin’s successor. Dissatisfaction is growing among Russia’s power elite.
– The problems in Russia as a result of the war are clear. Until the summer, the problems will only increase in scope. We will see it in transport, medicine, even agriculture. No one envisioned such a scope, says another source to Meduza.
– Be careful what you say!
Successor is discussed
Chief of Staff Sergei Kirijenko (59) is one of those who is pointed out by many as a possible successor, according to the Swedish newspaper Expressen.
– He once belonged to the liberal opposition in Russia together with Boris Nemtsov and Anatoly Chubais, but that is more than two decades ago, says the former Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt to Expressen.
For a short time in 1998, Kirijenko was Prime Minister of Boris Yeltsin’s government.
Carl Bildt is clear that one should not have any hopes of soon changes.
Lieutenant Colonel Geir Hågen Karlsen tells Dagbladet that very few, if any, have insight into what is happening in the inner power elite in the Kremlin.
– I have seen speculation about resistance in the Kremlin, but there are very few, if any, who have insight into this, he says.
SITTING SAFELY: No one is talking about a coup against incumbent President Vladimir Putin, but according to sources in the Kremlin, they are still talking about a possible change of power. Photo: Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP / NTB
sea view
Not necessarily better
The lieutenant colonel warns against resting on the idea that a change of power should be for the better.
– It is far from certain that it would be better if Putin were to drop out. It’s exciting to speculate, but I want to say: “be careful what you wish for”. I take all the speculations with a big pinch of salt, says Hågen Karlsen.
Officials close to the president’s administration should according to Meduza tell that dissatisfaction with Putin as a person is growing.
According to their sources, the mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobjanin (63), will be launched as a possible successor.
POSSIBLE HERITAGE: The president’s chief of staff Sergei Kirijenko is mentioned as a possible man to take over from Putin when the time comes. Photo: Alexey NIKOLSKY / POOL / AFP / NTB
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Former President Dmitry Medvedev (56) is also said to have been mentioned. Medvedev was president from 2008-2012, while Putin was prime minister. Then Medvedev was prime minister from 2012-2020. He is now the deputy head of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
the candidate
“It is not about them preparing to overthrow Putin now, but it is a wish that in the fairly foreseeable future he will not rule the country,” a source told the news website Meduza.
Carl Bildt summarizes the three possible candidates Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and Chief of Staff Sergei Kiryhenko as follows:
Blasted the Ukrainians’ last chance
– Medvedev is a bit like Putin’s dog, but he has very limited credibility in the various circles in Russia. Sobyanin is gradually gaining a position in Moscow, but the one who is clearly on the rise is Chief of Staff Kiryhenko, he says.
Regarding the possibility of peace in Ukraine, Lieutenant Colonel Hågen Karlsen believes that there is no indication that there are negotiations between the parties now.
– There are two ways a war can end; either because one of the parties has won, or there will be a long war of exhaustion so that both have to give up. There is no indication that they are so tired now that someone is giving up, he says.
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