Some of the scenarios discussed by the anti-Russian group include Russians staging a civil war, taking up arms and killing Putin, according to Euractiv. A guerrilla struggle may be the only way to topple Putin, opposition activist Vyacheslav Malchev said. “The main goal is the physical elimination of Putin,” Malchev said. “Fighting terrorists requires terrorist methods,” said one politician present, according to Gazeta Wyborcza. Ilya Ponomarev, a former member of the State Duma and the only Russian lawmaker who voted against the annexation of Crimea in 2014, who organized the rally, said he had been organizing an underground resistance movement for the past few months. Some have expressed doubts that he actually leads a rebel alliance, while others have questioned whether he has become too radical and violent, as reported by the Daily Beast. Allies of opposition leader Alexei Navalny did not attend the rally, according to Euractiv. Regardless of Ponomarev’s claims and tactics, however, this weekend’s rally in Poland is just the latest sign that those opposed to Putin are becoming more vocal by the day. The chatter about ousting Putin comes as he struggles to win his war in Ukraine, with dissent over his war growing in Russia. Ukrainian forces have been gaining momentum since they began launching counterattacks against Russian forces in the south and northeast of Ukraine, forcing the Russians to retreat. And in a push to replace those lost on the battlefield, Putin announced a “partial mobilization” for eligible Russians — but instead of responding with support, hundreds of thousands of Russians responded with a mass exodus from the nation to leave the military service. Russian officials in St. Petersburg and Moscow have also called for Putin’s removal in recent months. Elite circles in Russia are also beginning to rally behind the idea that Putin should leave power, according to a close former associate of Putin’s spokesman, Abbas Gallyamov. Although various groups interested in Putin’s loss of power have different ideas about how to ensure his downfall, according to former senior US intelligence community officials, Putin’s removal could be very violent and sudden. . “Nobody’s going to ask, ‘Hey Vladimir, would you like to leave?’ CIA station in Moscow. “They’re screwing him over it. That’s what they’re going to do.” Even Putin’s closest allies have been criticizing him in recent days, which could be a sign that Putin’s nights in power – and his future as a leader – are unraveling. Yevgeniy Prigozhin, or “Putin’s Chef,” known for his meddling in the US election and for leading the Wagner mercenary group, has begun to push a narrative that he is the only man who can win the war in Ukraine. Just last month, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, another friend of Putin’s, announced on social media that he was “very unhappy” with the way the war was going, calling Russia’s performance “weak”. Prigozhin has begun to share his own thoughts on leadership and how to win the war. “To become stronger, to win, you have to treat the opponent with respect,” Prigozhin said earlier this month, according to Reuters. “Don’t underestimate him. Always look for faults in yourself and see what is good and important that you can learn from the experience of the enemy.” Some of Russia’s closest partners on the world stage, including China and India, have also sought to distance themselves from Russia in recent weeks. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on other countries to “reject the threat of nuclear weapons and support a nuclear war to prevent a crisis on the Eurasian continent,” as Russia has begun to hint that it may resort to nuclear weapons. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who spoke with Xi last week, said the two agreed that Russia would cross the line if it used nuclear weapons. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh noted last week that “we should not resort to the nuclear option” when Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu confronted him about his suspicion that Ukraine could use a dirty bomb and try to pin Russia as the culprit behind it. . The Biden administration and Western leaders have denounced Russia’s alleged concerns about using a dirty bomb in Ukraine and suggested that Putin himself may be planning to use a dirty bomb or try to frame Ukraine. Resistance is building in Belarus, a close ally of Russia, as well. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsykhanushkaia recently proposed an alliance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to better advance Russia’s goals in the war and in Europe, the Daily Beast reported.
