MAIL ONLINE: Who could replace Putin if he is toppled in a coup? The rogues' gallery of henchmen including spy chief who 'approved' Litvinenko poisoning who could assume control of Russia if president is overthrown

Press/Media: Expert comment

Period1 Mar 2022

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleWho could replace Putin if he is toppled in a coup? The rogues' gallery of henchmen including spy chief who 'approved' Litvinenko poisoning who could assume control of Russia if president is overthrown
    Media name/outletMail Online
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date1/03/22
    DescriptionReports have said that Shoygu is considered to be Russia's greatest military leader since Georgy Zhukov, the general who defeated Nazi Germany in World War Two.

    His ascent to power would be complicated by his inextricable involvement in the invasion in Ukraine though he is said to be more pragmatic than Putin which could spell a withdrawal from the country in a way that could thaw relations with the West.

    Vera Tolz-Zilitinkevic, Professor of Russian Studies at the University of Manchester told MailOnline: 'He is a very, very powerful person at the moment. He's seen as a pragmatist in a way so again, in a way they are all better than Putin'.

    She caveated: 'Circumstances where we are talking about when Putin is replaced are clearly circumstances where when [the Russian army] had lost [in Ukraine].

    'So Shoygu is held directly implicated in organising this campaign and that might work against him.'...
    URLhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10564101/Who-replace-Putin-toppled-coup-rogues-gallery-replace-Vlad.html
    PersonsVera Tolz-Zilitinkevic

Keywords

  • Russian politics
  • Ukraine