PUTIN'S FALL
Russia faces civil war that would leave millions dead as rumours rage ‘sick’ Vlad could step down in 2023, says warlord
RUSSIA faces collapse and a civil war that could kill millions, one of Vladimir Putin’s military commanders has said.
Igor Girkin’s chilling prediction comes as its rumoured the Russian tyrant, who is said to be suffering from cancer, could step down in 2023.
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The warlord is a former senior intelligence and army officer who helped mastermind Putin's land grab in Ukraine and is the former defence minister of self-styled Donetsk People’s Republic.
He was convicted for downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, killing all 298 on board, when he was a top commander of DNR's militia forces back in 2014.
Girkin, who is now reportedly a frontline commander in the war, has frequently criticised Putin’s handling of the war and has called for a mass mobilisation to avoid defeat for Russia.
That needs to happen if “we don’t want to collapse into a civil war with millions of casualties”, he said on a broadcast.
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He warned this could lead to the “fragmentation of Russia” unless more was done.
Girkin was among three convicted by a Dutch court in November for downing MH17.
His comments come amid rumours that Putin is "critically ill" after he became bloated and was seen trembling and shaking alarmingly and could step down.
Abbas Gallyamov, a political analyst who once worked as a speechwriter for Putin, is predicting the Russian leader could pick a successor and retire this year.
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According to Gallyamov, Putin’s successor could be , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin or his Deputy Chief of Staff Dmitry Kozak.
Putin would then spend the rest of his years in a palace in the Black Sea resort town Gelendzhik while holding the title of senator-for-life, says the political analyst.
One man whose name has been cropping up as a possible successor is Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group mercenaries.
Prigozhin is reported to have personally toured the penal colonies for these recruits over the summer that are now taking a major role in Russia’s eastern offensive.
These soldiers are now surrounding the salt mine city of Soledar propelling Russia to it’s the verge of its first victory after several months of disastrous defeats in the war.
Glasgow University Russia expert Huseyn Aliyev said Prigozhin’s play for power has been obvious, if not risky.
“He has been moving up the ranks by criticising senior generals and building up his own reputation,” says Dr Aliyev.
“If Prigozhin fails to take control of Soledar he will likely to be removed and destroyed, or fall back into the shadows.”
Others believe security apparatchiks around ex-FSB head Nikolai Patrushev - secretary of the powerful security council - are more likely to pull the trigger on Putin in a bid to save the elite.
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