The assassination of Vladimir Putin would result in an “explosion of anger and outrage” across Russia, a British historian has warned.
Putin has been threatened by at least murder plots since taking over power in 1999 and the ongoing war in Ukraine has only exacerbated feelings of resentment against the Russian leader.
A group of exiled politicians calling themselves the Congress of People’s Deputies have met in Poland this week to discuss a seven-point plan to eliminate President Putin and put an end to his regime.
The “shadow parliament” went as far as planning to request NATO’s support for a campaign of political assassinations as well as the extension of sanctions against Russia.
However, historian Mark Galeotti challenged the move and noted a successful assassination is unlikely to be met with the approval of the Russian people – and could instead cause widespread chaos and anger.
Writing in The Spectator, Mr Galeotti said: “Were he to die next week, the odds are good that power would shift not to a fellow septuagenarian, but to the next political generation, who are best characterised as opportunist kleptocrats, willing to parrot Putin’s paranoid nationalist rhetoric today to remain in office, but more interested in the good life than any crusade against the West.
“However, any campaign of Western-backed assassination, especially if it were able to penetrate the (frankly, formidable) protection around Putin himself, would likely trigger not some democratic revolution but an explosion of anger and outrage.”
He argued Ukraine’s allies in the West should instead capitalise on on-the-ground dissent and criticism of Putin’s government to foster a potential political threat from within Russia’s borders.
Reports of dissatisfaction among troops, because of unsuitable commanders and the high death rate, have been constant since the start of the invasion.
The families of conscripted soldiers have also defied the widespread crackdown of Putin’s critics to demand the return of their loved ones from the front.
The Congress of People’s Deputies argued real change in Russia can only be achieved via the forced removal of Putin and his cronies from the Kremlin.
The émigré group said that it is “no longer an option but simply a duty” of NATO to help push through “revolutionary action” in Russia.
They plan to unveil their full proposal at the 75th NATO summit in Washington DC next month.
Part of the proposal reads: “The use of force against Putin’s murderers, their financiers and propagandists, is morally justified – [when] consistent with the internally recognised norms of warfare – and imperative for victory.
“The Kremlin has already unleashed a massive bloodshed that is killing hundreds of Russians on the front line every day, as well as numerous Ukrainians, both military and civilians.”
