American presenter David Letterman (75) met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (44) for his show “My Next Guest”. They talked about personal matters, but also about the war and Russian president Vladimir Putin (70). “What would happen if Putin fell out of a window and died suddenly?” Letterman wonders. For Selenski it is clear: “There would be no more war.”
Would the death of the Kremlin chief actually end the war? No! “The system will not change with Putin’s death,” Alexander Wöll, 54, a Slavist at the University of Potsdam, told Blick. Instead, only a new key figure pursuing similar ideologies would take his place.
“The main reason for the war is the political system in Russia, which gives Putin so much power,” Zelenskiy said in an interview. Wöll sees it the same way. He describes the Russian model of government as a hierarchical mafia system. “At the top there is only one person who makes all the decisions,” he explains. After Putin, there would also be a strong man from the Kremlin. It is therefore not surprising that the Russian people do not want a change of power. That makes a coup very unlikely.
There’s not enough power to keep things in order
However, if Putin were to disappear from the scene, the Russian people would have a very hard time. “They will have to deal with their domestic politics and not foreign policy issues,” Zelensky told Letterman.
But who could follow in Putin’s footsteps if he dies? According to Wöll, there is no real alternative. “There is a great danger that it will become someone with even more right-wing populist and chauvinist ideologies,” he clarifies. The opposition in Russia has far too little to say and Russia was ruined after the war – without international intervention, the small group lacks the strength to ensure order, Wöll estimates the situation.
“There is a threat of disintegration of Russia”
“In order to change anything, the whole system has to collapse,” the Slavist explains. “And that is extremely dangerous, because Russia is a nuclear power.” There is no way out of this misery.
Russia will not get away ruthlessly after the war – with or without Putin in power. On the contrary: “The collapse of Russia is imminent”, Wöll’s gloomy prognosis sounds. For example, the Chechens are gaining incredible power as a result of the war in Ukraine. “What’s stopping you from ever storming the Kremlin? There are many scenarios imaginable,” says Wöll.
But one thing is certain for him: “Russia is being thrown back 30 years in its development. That leads to domestic unrest.” In the long run, that could lead to a coup – and chaos.
Jenny Wagner
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
