Putin seriously ill?

[pecksniff]

Christopher Steele says so.

If anything happens to Putin, who's in charge of Russia?

 

[Sean Renaud]

Just marking this for curiousity sake cus I'm sure one of us knows who takes over.

 

[Rightguide]

It's been reported that he has a form of blood cancer and Parkinson's.

 

[oggbashan]

The Russian Defence Minister is considered the front runner. His views on Ukraine are even nuttier than Putin's.

 

[pecksniff]

Has he designated a successor?

Even Hitler was responsible enough to designate a successor -- Admiral Donitz -- just so there would be somebody with the authority to surrender to the Allies on behalf of the whole Reich.

 

[oggbashan]

Has he designated a successor?

Even Hitler was responsible enough to designate a successor -- Admiral Donitz -- just so there would be somebody with the authority to surrender to the Allies on behalf of the whole Reich.

No. He has behaved as if he was immortal and the only one to lead Russia.

 

[pecksniff]

No. He has behaved as if he was immortal and the only one to lead Russia.

Sounds a lot like Ivan the Terrible.

 

[oggbashan]

Putin would like the comparison.

 

[JohnEngelman]

Putin lacks the dictatorial power of Lenin, Stalin, or even Khrushchev. It is difficult for me to believe that there are not responsible and powerful people in Russia who could take over in the even of Putin's death, or even cause his death, and pull Russia and the world back from the precipice Putin has taken us to. Khrushchev and even Stalin knew that no one could win a nuclear war.

 

[pecksniff]

At this point, I would not be surprised to see Putin crowned Tsar. He certainly thinks like Napoleon in other ways.

 

[JohnEngelman]

At this point, I would not be surprised to see Putin crowned Tsar. He certainly thinks like Napoleon in other ways.

At this point we can only guess about the popularity of Putin with the Russian People. I am under the impression that he was popular, but that fissures have developed in his popularity. Intelligent and well educated Russians can tell that the invasion has not gone well. Russian soldiers are telling people back home that the war is failing, and that they do not want to die for a mistake.