What Comes After Putin's Rule in Russia. The West Should Beware

Time via MSN ^ | June 2, 2023 | Calder Walton

[McGruff]

News of a recent alleged assassination attempt on Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, raises the question: what kind of Russia might emerge after him? It is tempting to believe that, if Putin were killed, or otherwise removed from power, for example in a palace coup, Russia would shake off its dictatorial shackles, normalize its relations with the West, and advance down the democratic road. Such thinking is mistaken. History suggests there are slim prospects of Russia doing so.

The surest guarantee that Russia will not reform along democratic lines is the power of its security and intelligence services. At key junctures in Soviet and post-Soviet history, amid coups, near-coups, reforms, and revolutions, the KGB and its successors have always acted as kingmaker. Their power has remained consistent as Kremlin leaders came and went. There is little reason to believe they will not do so again.

Russia is effectively a security service with a state attached. Its intelligence services—the FSB, SVR, and GRU—wield vast influence.

[dfwgator]

If history has taught us anything, it’s one baddie always replaces another, and a lot of times that baddie is the one who helped us get rid of the previous baddie.

[amnestynone]

Not really Konrad Adenauer replaced Hitler. There were a lot of aggressive brutal countries in the past but now there are very few that are willing to cause trouble in the world.

[dfwgator]

Stalin replaced Hitler, Mao replaced Tojo.