Can Putin have a successor: Zelensky gave a clear answer

Putin's successor / GettyImages, collage 24 Channel

Rumors about the “death” of Russian President Vladimir Putin have sparked heated discussions and speculation about his successor. So far, no one knows exactly where and in what condition the real Putin is, but the question of a change of power in Russia remains open.

Dmitry Medvedev, Nikolai Patrusheva or his son Dmitry are likely contenders for the presidency of the aggressor country. In an exclusive interview with Channel 24, Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the head of the OPU, suggested whether one of them would risk leading Russia after Putin.

We need a figure of Putin's level

Medvedev belongs to the category of buffoons. He has been performing this function for a long time, but even with this he cannot cope. Medvedev will act as a buffoon until the end. Today, even in Russia, few people have a positive attitude towards him.

The former president of the aggressor country does not influence anything and does not make any decisions. He cannot be a candidate for dictator, because no one will simply believe that a buffoon is a dictator,” Podolyak said.

Everyone is mistaken when they think that after Putin there may be some successor who will rule the way the dictator did. It was a conspiracy of the elites.

The Russian president and his “Politburo” built a specific political structure that has its own properties. In order for this structure to continue to work, a figure of Putin’s level is needed. The successor to the head of Russia must be such a charismatic, passionate person that everyone is afraid to violate the internal elite agreements made under Putin.

Patrushev Jr. is not such a person. He lacks charisma. He is not an influential person among the political elites. The elder Patrushev is possible, although even he raises questions, and the younger one is generally a fiction,” noted the adviser to the head of the OPU.

In his opinion, as the core of the system changes, the elites will propose to rewrite their internal contract. Like, let's come to a new agreement on who will have what rights. To speed this up, we need to destroy the basic myth that Putin is a brave, influential person who controls all processes. This is what Yevgeny Prigozhin did not fully do.

At the same time, the myth that Russia is an invincible state with a powerful army and military-industrial complex should also be destroyed. Ukraine is now successfully working on this. Consequently, all that remains is to finish the first part and drag Russia into internal squabbles.

What will happen to Russia after the change of power: watch the video

How Patrushev will promote his son

Secretary of the Russian Security Council Patrushev will do everything possible to ensure that the presidency of the aggressor country goes to his son. However, it should not be overestimated. After all, Patrushev does not have sufficient influence and resources to ensure the transfer of power from Putin.

This should have been done as during the late Yeltsin era, when the inner circle decided to transfer power to Putin without competitive political processes. Patrushev does not have such a resource. There are certain illusions, so there will be attempts. However, they will not succeed and this is a consequence of the extremely unsuccessful war in Ukraine,” Podolyak added.

Ukraine broke the scenario, which could have been clearly implemented without a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Can Patrushev repeat Prigozhin’s “feat”

The dictator does not see the illusion, he is highly dependent on the same Patrushev. Putin no longer has the resource that he had before the full-scale invasion, and now he feels “out of place.” That is, Patrushev has a completely different influence than before the start of a full-scale invasion.

There is an irreversibility of certain historical processes, even if they are small and imperceptible. Currently, Russian political elites are losing trust and hating each other. They find themselves in political zugzwang (a position where any action leads to loss – Channel 24), so they cannot make appropriate decisions,” noted the adviser to the head of the OPU.

According to him, the Russian authorities are waging war simply for the sake of war. After all, this is the only political process for Russia that allows the elites to keep each other in agreements that existed before the start of a full-scale invasion.

Elections in Russia

• The Kremlin is already preparing for the presidential elections, which will take place in 2024. Vladimir Putin even signed a law clarifying the voting procedure during martial law. Accordingly, the Central Election Commission can postpone elections if they threaten the lives of civilians.
• A State Duma deputy called for “isolating” or “destroying” 20% of the Russian population who are not satisfied with Vladimir Putin. This initiative came against the backdrop of the upcoming presidential elections.
• According to ISW analysts, the Russian dictator will in every possible way avoid the topic of the war in Ukraine in his election campaign. At the same time, the Russian media will “disperse” Putin’s PR campaign around the fact that he allegedly made Russia an “island of peace.”