Five years ago, when then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced that he would be taking back the Presidency from Dmitry Medvedev, Russian intellectuals fell into despair. They saw no end to the Putin regime, and prophesied that Vladimir Vladimirovich would once again “castle” with his junior partner in 2024 to become Prime Minister after his fourth term expired—yet another rokirovka, as the chess move is known in Russian.Then, two years ago, when Putin annexed Crimea and invaded Ukraine, many of Russia’s intellectuals realized it was the beginning of the end for Putin. What the majority of Russians saw as Russia’s dance …read more
Source: The American Interest
