Mark Galeotti on Vladimir Putin’s self-inflicted wounds
A patronage-based system that worked in normal times has come undone in war, says the political scientist
THERE IS A certain karmic justice to the brief mutiny staged in Russia by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenary group. The most serious challenge to Vladimir Putin’s 23-year reign came as a direct result of the way he has structured his regime—and from a man who owed his wealth and power to the president’s patronage. It has starkly highlighted the growing weaknesses of Mr Putin’s system of power, leaving him more vulnerable than ever.
From the July 1st 2023 edition
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