Vladimir Putin has not been seen publicly since March 5. Pictures of him meeting with women on the March 8 Women's Day were apparently taken earlier. Putin has cancelled key meetings, while his press secretary rejects rumors of ill health (including a leak from an elite clinic that Putin suffered a stroke). In the meantime, the narrative of the Nemtsov assassination continues to unravel as the presumed Chechen assassins complain to two human rights activists that they were tortured into confessing and they expressed fear that they would be murdered like the so-called sixth conspirator. (Who let the human rights activists into the special Lefortovo prison where the suspects are being held?) Special communications helicopters of the presidential administration have been seen landing at the FSB Lubyanka headquarters and at the Kremlin. Respectable newspapers speak of an open rift between the brutal leaders of Chechnya (Kadyrov) and the Russian FSB (Federal security service).
At a minimum, the Russian leadership is going through a period of confusion and uncertainty. We will know soon if it is as serious as the rumor mil suggests.
Thank you for this information!
ReplyDeleteAndrey Illarionov, wrote on his blog that Putin's continued absence suggests a palace coup.
ReplyDeleteAlexander Rahr said that factions within the power structure have become visible, there likely to be some power change-ups, and that "fights over the number two position" — aka Medvedev — have "exploded!"
Rahr thinks that they'll kick out the prosecutor general [Yury Chaika]. The head of the MVD [Ministry of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev] will lose his post. They might bring back [Russian economist, former minister of economics and trade, and current president of Sberbank German] Gref instead of the [first deputy prime minister of Medvedev's cabinet] Shuvalov.
Someone wants to quickly get rid of Medvedev. After all, if something happens to Putin, then Medvedev automatically becomes the acting president