Putin preparing to name bodyguard who ‘saved him from being eaten by a bear’ as successor

Vladimir Putin is considering naming a erstwhile bodyguard who erstwhile saved his beingness arsenic his authoritative successor, a Pulitzer-winning Russian writer has predicted.

The dictator, 72, is thought to beryllium mulling implicit a power-sharing statement with Alexei Dyumin, 52, who erstwhile saved the Russian president from being eaten live by a brownish carnivore according to legend.

But should the determination spell ahead, the brace volition instantly gully up plans to hole Russians for yet different warfare ‘because they person thing other to connection the people’.

The chilling prediction comes from Roman Anin, exiled laminitis of the autarkic Russian investigative website Important Stories.

Unlike galore analysts, helium believes Putin volition not regularisation until helium drops dormant but is preparing a handover nether which helium remains arsenic a looming ‘father of the nation’ figure, his bequest and repressive regularisation intact.

‘The thought that Putin has nary volition of leaving the presidency until his decease is rather fashionable among immoderate Russian and Western analysts of Russian politics,’ said Anin.

 ‘However, I find it hard to hold with this for respective reasons.

 “Firstly, Putin understands the operation of his authorities amended than anyone, successful which powerfulness is divided among respective almighty clans of his friends, KGB colleagues and judo sparring partners.

‘Throughout his 25 years successful power, these clans person perpetually competed for influence, resources, and, astir importantly, proximity to Putin himself, who has acted arsenic an arbiter successful their conflicts.’

Putin has appeared to beryllium successful amended wellness successful caller months, arsenic opposed to the aboriginal days of the Ukraine penetration erstwhile determination were superior fears astir his good being and videos appeared of his hands oregon feet shaking uncontrollably.

The Kremlin’s contingency plans each beryllium connected Putin remaining alive, Anin explains.

‘The older helium gets and the longer helium postpones the question of powerfulness transition, the higher the hazard that 1 of the clans volition effort to prehend power earlier idiosyncratic other does.

‘I deliberation Putin understands this perfectly good and does not privation a repetition of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny.’

Putin – who has ruled Russia arsenic president oregon premier for much than a 4th of a period – remembers however Russia’s archetypal president Boris Yeltsin transferred powerfulness to him ‘and undoubtedly considers it a palmy experience.’

The salient writer said: ‘In my opinion, Putin has already outgrown the statesmanlike office.

‘His propaganda, the church, his interior circle, and assorted different lackeys person spent years convincing him that helium is not conscionable a president but the begetter of the nation, tasked with a ineffable ngo to prevention Russia and reconstruct its erstwhile greatness.

‘And arsenic a profoundly narcissistic individual, helium has willingly embraced this notion.

‘Putin has 3 advisors — Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, and Catherine the Great,’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said astir him astatine the commencement of the war.’

Putin is eyeing specified a begetter of the federation relation successful which helium retreats from time to time medication but ‘hands down his volition from his ineffable pedestal, and his chosen executors instrumentality it connected the ground’.

This is wherefore helium acceptable up a State Council successful 2020, a forum with powers implicit home and overseas policy  which helium volition 1 time pb aft handing implicit to his chosen president.

Dyumin is the lone idiosyncratic who meets Putin’s 5 conditions for a successor, said Anin.

‘It indispensable beryllium idiosyncratic helium perfectly trusts, idiosyncratic who, upon receiving statesmanlike powers, volition not betray his benefactor,’ helium said.

‘Secondly, the successor indispensable piously judge successful the infallibility of his idol and unconditionally fulfil his will.

‘Thirdly, helium should not beryllium to an old, influential clan, arsenic this could trigger factional conflicts.

‘Fourthly, helium indispensable person important achievements successful Putin’s eyes, some personally and for Russia (as Putin perceives it).’

Finally helium “must embody the imaginativeness of Russia that Putin is shaping.

‘Given that Russian children are present indoctrinated  with the leader’s ideology from preschool — wherever “heroes of the peculiar subject operation” archer stories of however they defeated “Banderites” successful Ukraine — it is wide that Putin’s aboriginal Russia is envisioned arsenic a militarised dictatorship steeped successful propaganda.’

Anin is wide that ‘there is lone 1 idiosyncratic successful Russia who meets each these criteria — Putin’s erstwhile bodyguard, Alexei Dyumin’.

As a bodyguard, helium protected him successful the Siberian taiga and made definite helium ‘didn’t drown successful the ocean’.

He ‘carried retired the astir delicate assignments, and was acceptable to sacrifice his beingness for him. Putin trusts him completely.’

Dyumin secretly led the Special Operations Forces which successful 2014 occupied Crimea.

Dyumin – an ex-deputy defence curate holding the fertile of colonel general, who has besides served successful the FSB information work and FSO protective work – apt personally led the evacuation of toppled Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych aft the coup 11 years ago.

Quietly, helium has been appointed arsenic caput of the Russian State Council, placing him successful 1 of the highest-ranking positions wrong the Russian powerfulness structure.

Anin says his quality sources spot Dyumin arsenic ‘the starring campaigner for succession.

‘Not lone is helium loyal to Putin, but arsenic a colonel-general, helium aligns acold much intimately with the existent and aboriginal imaginativeness of Russia than different imaginable successors.

Anin dismisses the claims of 3 different candidates arsenic Putin’s heir – Sergey Kiriyenko, Putin’s lawman main of unit and a erstwhile premier, Boris Kovalchuk,  president of the Accounts Chamber and lad of Putin’s adjacent subordinate and moneyman, Yury Kovalchuk,  and Dmitry Patrushev, lawman premier and lad of ex-FSB main and information assembly secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, inactive a statesmanlike aide.

‘In my opinion, nary of these candidates should beryllium earnestly considered arsenic successors,’ helium said.

They each ‘lack Dyumin’s governmental value and achievements successful Putin’s eyes’.

None person Dyumin’s cardinal acquisition of the information services and defence ministry oregon enactment antheral image.

He has besides been groomed for administration, serving arsenic politician of Tula portion – cardinal to Russia’s arms supplies – earlier Putin recalled him to enactment arsenic an adjutant wrong the Kremlin.

The Patrushev clan is connected the wane,  said Anin, contempt agelong links with Putin who is improbable to manus the mantle to the children of his pals.

‘Someone who starts wars does not manus implicit powerfulness to “kinder surprises” oregon gilded youth,’ helium said.

‘Together, they volition hole the state for a caller large warfare — due to the fact that they person thing other to connection the people.’

Anin was successful a squad that successful 2017 won the  Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for their enactment connected the Panama Papers.

This uncovered some  $2 cardinal successful concealed offshore deals and loans benefiting individuals wrong Putin’s adjacent circle.

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