Global leaders have been advised not to overlook the international consequences which would follow the collapse of Vladimir Putin’s Russia. With Moscow’s “special military operation” under threat from a well-coordinated Ukrainian counter-offensive, there has been a steady shift in the political strength of the Kremlin. President Putin’s grip on authoritarian power has been weakened as Russian authorities begin to question the war, signalling a rising attitude of opposition to the Russian Federation. The West has been warned not to dismiss the global implications of a political crisis in Russia, which could quickly develop into a “total disaster”.
Former Commander of the United States Army Europe Ben Hodges told Times Radio: “There are thousands of nuclear weapons inside Russia.
“There are a lot of small ethnic regions that are anxious to get away from underneath the old Russian Empire.
“There is energy infrastructure and millions of people still depend on grain and energy coming from Russia.
“So, there are real concerns and we need to be thinking through how we help prevent this from becoming a total disaster that would affect all of us.”
Lieutenant General Hodges explained the complex international reliance on Russian stability, especially concerning grain and energy.
Europe has already been paralysed by an energy crisis following the Kremlin’s decision to halt gas supply through the Nord Stream One pipeline.
As energy prices have rocketed, the Western reliance on Russian gas supply has been exposed, forcing international leaders to explore alternative energy sources.
The former US Army leader warned a failure to recognise other areas of concern, including Russia’s possession of nuclear weapons, ahead of a Kremlin collapse could spark an international crisis.
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