Putin’s ‘meat grinder’ invasion of Ukraine will only end if close allies stage a coup as Russian society is now ‘completely lethargic’, experts warn

According to a prominent political scientist, Vladimir Putin will only be overthrown by a coup.

According to Vladislav Inozemtsev, director of the Russian Center for Post-Industrial Social Research, this is the only prospect of an end to the “meat grinder war” in Ukraine.

It comes as another Putin expert says the warlord has no viable way to escape in exile, despite rumors that his cronies have launched what is known as Operation Noah’s Ark to target him and his closest cronies to provide a safe haven.

“I believe the only chance to change the situation is some kind of coup – once the elite really understand that Putin is leading them down a dead end,” Inosemtsev said.

The war in Ukraine will only end if Putin is ousted from power in a coup, said Vladislav Inozemtsev (photo), an expert in Russian political science.

“But whether it will happen or not, or when… is impossible to predict.”

Such a coup would involve Putin’s closest aides or guards.

Hopes for a mass uprising to topple Putin are hopeless, he said.

Russian society “is completely sluggish – and the Kremlin should not expect any problems”.

There have been no major protests – “so far I don’t see any desire to end the war,” he said.

Inozemtsev, who is now based in Washington, claims that, contrary to some Western predictions, Putin may attack Russia’s economy to keep the war going for at least two more years and that he could mobilize a million men in total .

“Putin has great potential to finance the war,” he said on Zerkalo’s website.

“Reserves and the ability to borrow money in the Russian domestic market give him endless money and he won’t have any budget problems next year or in 2024 either.”

The war will surely end, at least until [next] Summer, depending on what successes or failures are on the front lines in early spring.

As for the Ukrainian military, I am sure it is determined to repel Russian attacks.

“Ukraine is constantly arming itself with Western weapons and ammunition, and this process is developing quite steadily.

“So I think this is the meat grinder situation that will be around for a very long time.

Russia will indeed suffer heavy casualties, but as Ukrainian officials rightly say, Moscow has the ability to mobilize up to a million men. That’s right.’

The experts warn that such a Putin vs. Putin (pictured in the Kremlin, December 20) will involve his closest aides or guards. But all hope of a mass uprising to topple Putin was lost

Putin’s former speechwriter Abbas Gallyamov – now a critic – said Putin is hyperactive now compared to his reclusive style during the Covid pandemic.

Even as Covid – and the flu – hits Russia again, he is now active because “he has other things to worry about…

“There are far scarier enemies now [like] first the Ukrainian armed forces and the collective West, NATO.

“He is forced to become more active. The situation is clearly not going his way.’

He said: “This is Putin’s last chance and he is trying to make the best of it.”

But Gallyamov told interviewer Yevgenia Albats that a “power vacuum is forming” and that his circle was looking for a “rainy day” plan for him and his relatives to flee Russia if necessary.

They sought refuge in China, Venezuela and Argentina, he said.

According to experts, the war will last at least until next summer. Putin is photographed on December 19 in Minsk, Belarus

Kremlin expert Valery Solovey (pictured) said he saw no viable way out for Putin to be exiled to another country

But another Putin expert Valery Solovey – a former professor at the prestigious Moscow Institute of International Relations [MGIMO]a training school for spies and diplomats — said those plans and another proposed safe haven in Israel, the Central African Republic and an unnamed European country are now hopeless for the Kremlin leader.

“Israel was acceptable before February 24 [when the war started],’ he said.

“Now they have no country of destination.

“There is no place to hide, it just does not exist on the planet, because on February 24 the situation changed.

And that is why the political establishment is very nervous, especially those in charge of the military and political part of the operation.

“They would have been willing to do a deal – there were rumours,” he said.

But now there was no longer any escape abroad for Putin and his team.