Putin is under pressure in Moscow as a result of the Russian army’s ongoing struggles in Ukraine, which have spurred new claims that former allies within the Kremlin are trying to topple him. Is Putin really facing a coup?
According to recent reports, Vladimir Putin’s cronies are allegedly planning a coup against him, while a different dependable adviser is hiding out and getting ready to play the kingmaker, reports Daily Star.
Sergei Lavrov, Mad Vlad’s whisky-loving foreign minister, is allegedly “drinking because he is depressed” and has “health problems,” dealing Mad Vlad another another blow.
In addition, there are persistent rumors about the dictator’s health, with some speculating that he may have cancer.
According to sources, he had to remain in the same position and sit on a special cushion for two critical meetings on Thursday (December 15).
According to one report, Yevgeny Progozhin, the head chef at the Kremlin, would be the person who would lead a coup against Putin.
Prigozhin, 61, is said to have enlisted tens of thousands of mercenaries to fight in Ukraine, and his duties went far beyond simply providing food for the Kremlin’s elite. He even has his own private army.
According to Christo Grozev, the head of the Bellingcat investigative journalism organization’s Russia team, “This is uncharted territory for Putin.”
“Prigozhin has 20,000 bloodthirsty, armed and aggressive men…
“They’re telling me, ‘We’re wondering if we should just lay down our arms because we’ve been turned into cannon fodder and go to Moscow?’ That’s in their thought process already.”
Grozev thinks a Prigozhin-led coup is a realistic option in the new year, saying: “This pressure cooker has to explode in one direction or another. Either it will be a bloody revolution or something else.”
A key competitor to Prigozhin might be hardline security head Nikolai Patrushev, 71, who is similarly considered to be keeping a low profile, while another hardliner, ex-prime minister Sergei Kiryenko, is also rumored to be considering a leadership bid.
Meanwhile, there are reports that plans are being made to find Putin a safe haven should he be forced to flee the country.
According to Gallyamov, the plot, dubbed Operation Noah’s Ark, might result with Putin being exiled to South America.
Putin-watcher Valery Solovey, a former professor at Moscow’s Institute of International Relations [MGIMO], claimed the president had recently cancelled important engagements like his state of the union address since it is “very difficult for him physically to withstand a long and intensive public event”.
Also Read: Putin Drives Across Crimea Bridge In A Mercedes
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