Posted on 07/25/2022 7:57:36 AM PDT by devere
Yale University history professor Timothy Snyder on Saturday said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's ruling is "weakening" and noted that preparation for a power struggle is underway.
Snyder pointed in a Twitter thread a sign that Putin is "losing control" is that some former Russian officials such as Dmitry Medvedev spoke about the consequences that await Ukraine and the West.
Medvedev, Putin's staunch ally who served as Russia's former president, recently warned that the West's response to the Russian war in Ukraine could result in the Eastern European country losing "the remnants of state sovereignty and disappear from the world map."
"Usually the news coverage of such pronouncements focuses on their content. It is tempting to get caught up in the Russian fear propaganda. But the real story is that people aside from Putin now feel authorized to make such proclamations. Before the war there was less of this," Snyder said.
He further argued that this "doom propaganda" shows loyalty to Putin while also possibly preparing "for a power struggle after Putin falls."
"If Russia loses the war, the people saying radical things now will have protected themselves. For my part, I tend to see the drastic proclamations as evidence that important Russians think that Russia is losing," Snyder said.
"I'm not convinced Medvedev, who for years was seen as the liberal alternative to Putin, believes the antisemitic, anti-Polish, anti-Western hate speech he publishes on Telegram. He's creating a profile that might be useful later (just as his technocrat profile was once useful)," the Yale professor added.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
The notion that the next ruler of Russia is gonna be a nice friendly guy is laughable on its face.
Most likely it will be a ferocious Russian nationalist who will make Putin look like a lap dog in comparison.
People seem to think that perhaps the Russian political class is made up of fine, reasonable people. I guess Putin is the problem, huh? Once Putin is gone, all the other Russian politicians will gladly leave Ukraine, sell the world lots of oil and just be jolly good fellows.
But the reality is that Putin is bad but not the only bad guy. If he dies, nothing is likely to change. The Putin deathwatch seems like a waste of time.
He can see it all the way from New Haven CT.
Shoot, if NewsWeak says it’s true, it must be TRUE!
Tim Snyder is an interesting read on Ukrainian history. Elsewhere, he’s no more insightful than anyone else. He called Trump a fascist. That’s just lazy and, frankly, stupid.
Yep! Exactly correct. Communist rulers never get "nicer" just meaner.
His reasoning is stupid.
Woke history “perfessers” know everything.
More likely:
Biden’s Rule ‘Weakening,’ Preparation for Power Struggle Underway:
Snyder is no different...neither is his opinion.
Zelensky’s Rule ‘Weakening,’ Preparation for Power Struggle Underway:
And Snyder knows all this because...
In this conflict, Russia's primary weaponry is artillery. Ukraine and the West's weapon of choice is fiction.
Currently Putin’s popularity in Russia (the only place that matters) is around 80%. Synder is up in the night.
Liberals are hoping for Gorbachev 2.0. They may get Stalin 2.0. I see Putin as Brezhnev 2.0. Bad news but not the worst that Russia could produce.
Russia might just take a strong stand against HIMARS.
That would be very, very bad. It seems to me.
Then again, no military background. But just saying.
Another “academic” of poor judgment but rich in opinion assertion.
Do you really believe the poll? Really? If I was in Russia and was polled I would be pro-Putin also, to avoid being arrested.
He is either stupid or a liar.
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