Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly facing the threat of his trusted lieutenants clandestinely plotting to overthrow him if his Ukraine invasion turns out to be a failure, it was reported in June 2022.
Putin's close aides could attempt a coup in a very secretive manner so that they are not caught by the president, former CIA Moscow station chief Daniel Hoffman said, as reported by the Sun at the time.
"It'll happen all of a sudden. And he'll be dead," he said.
The Ukraine invasion, according to the former U.S. intelligence official, may prove to be Putin's undoing. His inner circle could be gearing up for a mutiny to seize control of the conflict, especially Russia is unable to gain the upper hand in the war, he added.
Related Link: Putin Strategizing New Offensive, Says Ukraine National Security Chief: 'They Need...Something To Show Before Their People'
Hoffman named three potential people as likely replacements for Putin if he is toppled. Chief of Putin's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, director of Russia's secretive intelligence agency Alexander Bortnikov and Defense minister Sergei Shoigu are the three named by the former CIA official. Shoigu is the most probable replacement, given he had an important role in the Ukraine war.
Another former CIA agent, Ronald Marks, reportedly said chaos will ensue if Putin is unseated.
Photo: Created with an image from Antonio Marín Segovia on Flickr
This story was originally published on Jun. 26, 2022.
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