Murder, fatal disease or natural death? One day, Russian President Vladimir Putin will no longer be in power. But who will inherit it? This question is asked in a review today RND, quoted by news bg.
One day Putin will die. But when and how, no one still knows. Murder? It is unlikely that Putin is too well protected from an assassination attempt. Fatal disease? This is not ruled out, but according to experts, the speculations that have emerged especially in recent times are more part of an information war.
Removal of power?
Doubtful, because only Putin’s closest allies in intelligence and military have the power to remove the Kremlin boss from his throne. This would be possible if Russia is threatened with a crushing defeat in Ukraine, which even the greatest propaganda can no longer keep silent. But even those who could overthrow Putin are taking part in the decisions in this war. If Putin falls, so do they.
Putin is firmly on the throne, although critical media say there is great discontent among Russia’s elite. Moscow’s critical magazine Medusa, banned in Russia, cites sources close to the Kremlin who want either a bigger and more aggressive war in Ukraine or peace and the withdrawal of Russian forces.
Putin is a man of power. He moves his subordinates like chess pieces before they become too strong and dangerous for him. Anyone who develops their own ambitions is thrown out of the game.
Even former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had to learn this lesson. But instead of building a successor, Putin chose to restore Russia’s political system. With an amendment to last year’s constitution, he secured the opportunity to rule at least until 2036. Then he would be 83 years old.
Who could be Putin’s heir to the throne?
Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s current defense minister and a close friend of Vladimir Putin. Shoigu has been a minister since 1991, first in charge of disaster management and praised as a hero. In 2012, Putin made him defense minister. Putin’s confidant, who has worked in the Kremlin for more than 30 years, has very good ties and plays a central role in the war against Ukraine.
Personally, Shoigu is closely associated with Putin and is considered his best friend.
Sergei Sobyanin, mayor of Moscow since 2010, is also a confidant of Putin. “I have no doubt that Sobyanin will work vigorously and effectively in his new post,” the Kremlin leader once told Sobyanin. In Moscow, Sobyanin is expected to increase Putin’s influence. But he is not much younger than Putin, and Moscow is very hated in Russia, because all the wealth is concentrated there, says Mangot. “I don’t think he has a chance to be elected president either.”
Mikhail Mishustin was the first head of Russia’s Federal Tax Service before becoming Russia’s prime minister. According to the constitution, if Putin becomes seriously ill or dies, Russian Prime Minister Mishustin will take office within three months.
Nikolai Patrushev is currently secretary of the Security Council and one of the most influential people in the Kremlin. There are many similarities in his biography with that of Putin: Both are from Leningrad (St. Petersburg), study together at the KGB high school “Felix Dzerzhinsky”, make a career in the secret services. When Putin became president in 1999, Patrushev took over as head of intelligence at the successor to the KGB-FSB.
Alexei Jumin, the governor of Tula since 2016. “Who are you, General Jumin?”, Once asked the Russian magazine The New Times. Because when the then 43-year-old man came to power in Tula, almost no one knew him, even in Russia. Today, he is considered by Russian observers to be Putin’s domestic adviser and possible successor.
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