Russia will be plunged into 'dangerous chaos' when Putin goes, says former ambassador

Sir Andrew Wood suggested the end of Putin’s rule could become “dangerously chaotic” because of his authoritarian rule.

He was speaking at a briefing organised by the Chatham House think-tank, entitled Russia-Ukraine crisis: what’s next?

If Putin orders an invasion of Ukraine, it would pose a major challenge for theWest.

But speaking after the event, Sir Andrew suggested an even greater worry was growing instability within Russia itself, particularly the “unpredictability” of how and when the 69-year-old leader would be replaced.

Sir Andrew, who served from 1995 to 2000, said: “What I mean by ‘dangerously chaotic’ is that he’s created a tyranny and in the process he has destroyed most of the constitutional institutions which would otherwise fix a succession in the normal way.

“And he’s done that by shutting down all discussion and debate, rule of law plus huge expansion of organisations like the KGB, other institutions like that.

Sir Andrew predicts a ‘messy’ succession “This means there is no longer the sort of preparatory debate or succession debate, which is absolutely vital to any country’s further growth.”

Pointing to Russia’s history, which includes the assassination of Tsars and the bloody rule of Stalin, Sir Andrew said: “He remains a victim to that past.”

On whether the end of Mr Putin’s regime would be similarly messy, he said: “I can’t see that it can be anything else. If he resigns, the prime minister of the day is supposed to rule for three months and then call elections in which people could put up candidates and elect someone as if they were president of the US, more or less – that’s just not going to happen. Basically it is all unpredictable. It is a very unstable system.”

source: express.co.uk