Vladimir Putin could face another attempt to remove him from office as his failure to deliver a quick win in Ukraine “sowed his political demise,” a former CIA agent warned.
The Russian leader had hoped for a swift invasion of Russia’s neighbour but instead, his troops have continued fighting against a committed Ukrainian defence force nearly two years later.
With winter heading into its peak, and no significant advances reported from the front for weeks, concerns are growing of a potential standstill in the fighting at a time when the Russian Army continues to suffer heavy losses.
Ex-CIA operative Jack Devine argued it will become more difficult for Putin to recruit new soldiers and his top aides will likely seek to distance themselves from him and the war the longer there’s no progress.
Devine said: “The more losses and the more violence that is visible to the Russian citizens, the less people want to be involved.
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“He will have a hard time recruiting, but it is Russia after all. He will find a way to strong arm, entice.
“He will come up with the army at the end of the day, but the war will become increasingly less popular.”
The former CIA agent suggested growing discontent could push his top aides or the military into ousting him in what he dubbed a “Black Swan” operation.
The term is normally used to refer to an unpredictable situation with potentially severe consequences.
Speaking to The Sun, Devine added: “It’ll be a surprise. There’s always what we call a ‘Black Swan’ that appears from nowhere.”
