A leading Russia expert has predicted that Vladimir Putin, now 73, will most likely die in power, despite mounting internal pressures from the war in Ukraine. Dr John Kennedy, head of the Russia and Eurasia programme at RAND Europe, told the Daily Mail's Future Headlines series that the Russian president has built a system centred on total loyalty, making his removal by coup or popular uprising unlikely.
Kennedy ranked five potential scenarios for the end of Putin's rule, dismissing forced removal as improbable. He noted that Putin has installed allies in all key positions and brutally suppressed dissent, with no significant opposition movements emerging since the death of Alexei Navalny. 'The most plausible scenario is that Putin dies in power,' Kennedy said, adding that his health may be declining, with reports of him seeking alternative treatments for undisclosed issues.
However, Kennedy did not rule out assassination, particularly by regional factions bearing the brunt of the Ukraine war. Much of the Russian army is composed of conscripts from impoverished regions like Chechnya, which have historically resisted Moscow's control. 'An assassination could happen, and it could have a regional dimension,' Kennedy said, though he acknowledged Putin's obsession with security and the vested interest of the security services in protecting him.
Kennedy warned that Putin's days are numbered and urged the West to prepare for the chaos that could follow his death. 'If we take a medium to long term view, the situation in Russia is ripe for change,' he concluded.
