Russian President Vladimir Putin could "disappear at any moment," sending Moscow into a civil conflict amid its floundering invasion of Ukraine, warned former commander Igor Girkin.
Girkin, also known as Igor Strelkov, rose to prominence for his role in the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. He has become increasingly critical of Kremlin leadership as its military struggles to achieve substantial military gains in Ukraine nearly a year after Putin launched the "special military operation." Although he supports the goals of the Russian military, he has recently offered grim assessments of the war for Putin.
During a recent discussion, Girkin weighed in on whether a change in Kremlin leadership would benefit Russia's military operation in Ukraine, acknowledging that there is a chance Putin could "disappear" amid longstanding questions about his health. A video of his remarks was posted to Twitter by Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Ukrainian Internal Affairs Ministry,
Girkin declined to "rule out" the possibility that Putin could suddenly "disappear at any moment," whether he abdicates his position as president or dies, noting that his state is the "biggest secret" in Russia.
Russia would likely delve into chaos and lead to "external defeat" in Ukraine in this scenario, according to Girkin. He explained that new leadership would even allow Kyiv to retake control of Crimea, a goal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Putin has warned would impede peace talks.
But defeat in Ukraine would not be the only issue faced by Russia, Girkin said. He also predicted a "power struggle with unpredictable consequences would ensure" if Putin was no longer the leader of Russia.
He suggested new leadership could potentially turn Russia against China, perhaps its most powerful ally amid the widely-condemned Ukraine war.
"Then the process of this country's disintegration will start," Girkin said. "A civil war of all against all. I do not exclude the possibility that we are doomed to this. I do not rule it out."
The video of Girkin's remarks was viewed nearly 40,000 times Monday afternoon on Twitter. Despite Girkin's speculation, the Kremlin has not indicated any plans for Putin, and longstanding beliefs and intelligence that Putin may be suffering from various health issues, including cancer, have never formally been confirmed by Moscow.
His remarks come just days after he said Russia "failed" in the Ukraine war because Putin has not called a full mobilization of troops to fight in Ukraine. He accused Putin of withdrawing himself from leading the invasion, delegating it to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, "who has prepared his army badly."
Girkin also said last month low morale among Putin's troops will make it "impossible" for Russia to declare victory against Ukraine.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry for comment.
Excerpt from:
Putin May 'Disappear at Any Moment,' Spark Russian Civil War: Ex-Commander
- EU and Ukraine explore special tribunal for Putin and war officials - Euronews - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Do Russians Believe Putin's Propaganda? | TIME - TIME - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Opinion | Putins Russia throws a lifeline to North Korea - The Washington Post - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- U.S. told Russia that Crocus City Hall was possible target of attack - The Washington Post - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Escaping Putin's War Machine - Reveal - Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Putin ally Patrushev says NATO is helping attacks on Russia from Ukraine - Reuters - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Pine nuts: Mr. Putin, draw down that weapon - Sierra Sun - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- What's behind Putin's attempts to link Ukraine to Moscow terror attack? - Voice of America - VOA News - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Ukraine tells Trump to emulate Reagan as Putin readies major spring offensive - POLITICO Europe - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- 'Ein Schock fr Putin': Ukraine Bombs Three Russian Air Bases, Then Vows To Send Its Drones Further Into Russia - The New York Sun - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- France's Macron Tries to Jolt Europe Into Taking Tougher Approach With Putin - WSJ - The Wall Street Journal - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- How Putin's Relationship With Islam Works - The American Conservative - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Ukraine embraces far-right Russian 'bad guy' to take the battle to Putin - POLITICO Europe - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Will Keen on Playing Vladimir Putin in Patriots on Broadway: The Sign of a Great Liar Is the Ability to Lie to Oneself - Variety - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Kim Jong Uns correspondence with Putin shoots up amid cooperation over Ukraine - NK News - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Cathy Young on Putin's American Fans - Reason - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Putin regime cracks down on Central Asian immigrants The Militant - The Militant - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Putin, Russia and what might have been | Daily Gate City - Keokuk, Iowa | mississippivalleypublishing.com - Mississippi Valley Publishing - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Do Russians Believe Putin's Propaganda? - AOL - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Putin and the Superiority Myth - Center for European Policy Analysis - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Vladimir Putin Pushes Russia To Make Consoles To Compete With PlayStation And Xbox - Kotaku - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Reality is chipping away at Putinism - The New Statesman - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Putin Is No Ally In the War on Terror in 2024 - 19FortyFive - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Opinion | Joe Lieberman and Gordon Humphrey: How to counter Putin's lies - The Washington Post - The Washington Post - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Opinion | I am proud to have spoken out against Putin's crimes in Ukraine - The Washington Post - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Georgia's government plays into Putin's hands as it moves to suppress art and culture - The Conversation - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Russia election: Putin declared winner of race that was never in doubt - The Associated Press - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Exclusive: Putin to visit China in May - Reuters - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Putin Urges Russians to Unite on Ukraine War - The New York Times - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Putin Aide on 'Sham' Election Attacks: 'Not Going to Justify Ourselves' - Newsweek - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- West condemns 'sick' Putin's rigged election win as Xi sends congrats to Moscow - POLITICO Europe - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- What's Next After Putin's Win, and Why U.S. Home Prices May Start to Drop - The New York Times - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Putin planning buffer zone around border with Ukraine - The Hill - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- With the election behind him, Putin says Russia aims to set up a buffer zone inside Ukraine - The Associated Press - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Vladimir Putin and Ebrahim Raisito strengthen Russian-Iranian relations - The Jerusalem Post - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Putins Orchestrated Election Leaves Russians With No Other Choices - The New York Times - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Putin speaks Navalny's name for first time, claims he agreed to prisoner exchange - POLITICO Europe - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- How Xi and Putin took parallel paths to become life rulers - Business Insider - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- The West's New Approach Can Save Georgia From Putin - Newsweek - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Putin had to contrive a landslide because he knows cracks are showing in Russian society - The Guardian - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Basking in his Russian election win, Putin talks about political nemesis Alexei Navalny's 'sad' death for the first time - CNBC - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Putin Isn't Hitler, He's Mussoliniand Ukraine Is His Abyssinia - Modern War Institute - West Point - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Analysis: Is the GLSDB One of Nuland's Promised 'Nice Surprises' for Putin? - Kyiv Post - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Secret Putin palace discovered with yachts, personal waterfall: report - Business Insider - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Putin challenger submits 105000 signatures backing his election campaign - POLITICO Europe - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Russia's Putin blames Ukraine for crash of POW's plane and pledges to make investigation public - The Associated Press - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Russia's war on Ukraine a 'huge issue' for EU as Putin's ambitions are 'much more far-reaching' - FRANCE 24 English - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Putin to visit Turkey in February, Kremlin says - Yahoo News - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Putin to visit NATO member Turkiye on 12 February - Middle East Monitor - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Putin Officially Registered For Russian Presidential Election Amid Suppression Of Opposition - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Putin vs the West: At War TV review world leaders offer candid reflections in BBC documentary - Financial Times - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- An unlikely challenger to Putin brings a rare show of defiance, creating a dilemma for the Kremlin - The Associated Press - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Analysis: China's rising star visits U.S. over warming Putin-Kim ties - Nikkei Asia - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Kremlin denies report Putin reached out to the US about ending Ukraine war - Business Insider - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Belarusian President complains to Putin that Ukraine and Baltic countries "seek better life abroad" video - Yahoo News - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Putin Vs the West: At War review did Liz Truss really storm out of her own office? - The Guardian - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- U.S. Ally Could Hand Biden New Trump Card for Dealing with Putin - Newsweek - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Putin says earns $175K, owns couple of apartments and a parking spot - Business Insider - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Kremlin denies report that Putin reaching out to US, might drop key demands on Ukraine - Reuters.com - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- In Ukraine and Europe, a concern: Has Putin outlasted the US? - The Christian Science Monitor - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Russian Election Authorities Pick Pro-War Symbol, Putins Favorite Slogan for Presidential Campaign Promo - The Moscow Times - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Russians who want rid of Putin pin election hopes on anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin - The Guardian - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Secret Putin Residence Discovered Near Finland Dossier Center - The Moscow Times - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Vladimir Putin Accuses Kyiv Of Trying To Provoke Russia After 2 Years Of Shelling Ukraine - HuffPost UK - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Russian Anti-War Candidacy Bid An Unexpected Obstacle In Kremlin's Effort To Smoothly Reinstall Putin - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Russias anti-war presidential candidate submits bid to run against Putin - Semafor - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Russian Officials Further Stack Deck in Favor of Putin's Reelection - Newsweek - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Kremlin Hopes Armenia Joining ICC Will Not Affect Relations - The Moscow Times - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- In shadow of Trump, Putin and Orbn, EU struggles to get its act together on Ukraine - POLITICO Europe - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Putin registered as fourth candidate in Russian presidential election - Yahoo News - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Kyiv 'strikes airfield' in occupied Crimea as Putin prepares to visit Turkey - The Independent - February 1st, 2024 [February 1st, 2024]
- Vladimir Putin is trying to entice foreign nationals with the offer of Russian citizenship to help him fight against Ukraine - Fortune - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Putin's 'peace' is a partitioned Ukraine - The Spectator - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Russia's War on Woke: Putin Is Trying to Unite the Far Right and Undermine the West - Foreign Affairs Magazine - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Putin's Drive to Rewrite History Snares a Retired Lithuanian Judge - The New York Times - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Putin makes passing Ukraine reference in New Year's Eve address - Reuters - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Putin Vows to Keep Up Bombardment After a Russian City Is Hit - The New York Times - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Putin lauds Russian unity in his New Year's address - POLITICO - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Zelenskiy speaks of war, Putin makes passing reference in contrasting New Year speeches - Reuters - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Putin Says He Wants Peace in Ukraine But on Russia's Own Terms - Bloomberg - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]