Is a coup against Putin the only way to end this? | Danny Finkelstein

“One possible way that this ends when political dictators get into wars is through a surfeit of personal pique and defending their own armed forces, they begin to move against him.”

Is a coup against Putin underway? Matt Chorley talks to Danny Finkelstein on Times Radio about the possibility of Putin’s army turning against him.
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[blondie]

Even if Putin goes, you still left with the same old paranoid Soviet era thinking. The whole regime has to go period.

[pcbacklash_]

The host snarkily wondered at the end if the "Putin Burger" -- the presumed replacement for McDonald's -- comes with a plastic toy, a small plastic tank that only moves backwards. He almost got it right. They'll come with a small plastic tank with a turret that pops into the air when you hit it in the right place. Slava Ukraini!

[zaphod]

Unfortunately there's more than Putin to deal with. Too many think like him. The entire command structure needs to be eliminated.

[qingyuhu]

Not a coup, it's just a special power redistribution operation.

[pjhgerlach]

A Russian alternative for McDonald's? It's just replacing one clown with another.

[DanA-fktl]

"If you're going to run the military, maybe we're going to run the government" hmm!

[markduncan]

A “Isolated “ Russia is the best course of action for all involved!

[gmf]

Taking overall tactical control of the Armed forces didn't end well for someone else 77 years ago.

[rtqii]

Oryx confirms that 39% of the prewar Russian combat power has been destroyed in under 90 days.

[roqsteady]

Did everyone think it was a bad idea? Most of the pundits thought that the Russian army would roll over Ukraine in a matter of days. Of course now they know it *was* a bad idea using the retrospectoscope.

[eurodoc]

Didn't Nicholas II assume personal command of the military just before Russia collapsed in WWI? Not a good precedent there, Vlad.

I'm seeing more proof to the saying that Russia only learns the wrong lessons from its successes, but ignores the more important lessons from its failures.

[tonyarcoraci]

You guys are brilliant. From an American, an heartfelt cheerio and ta-ta, you nutters...

[Timzart]

I see the strongest hope of opposition in or near Putin's circle as being commanders in the military also, because they are the ones who are being held responsible by Putin, undergoing a certain amount of humiliation for their poor performance, made to pay with the lives of soldiers for a war they may not see as necessary for the security or prosperity of Russia. The problem is Putin has had over 20 years to structure security around him in such a way that it makes a coup difficult.

[mikefricker]

I like the interviews but wish the first however many seconds were not a pre-play of part way through the interview

[anthonychuks]

It's a gud coup will save the lives of thousands that could still be killed in this bloody battle.

[bgregg]

As long as the FSB runs that country, it'll be like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

[stevenwilgus]

It doesn't matter if they sling him from his big toe, to me. His warped machinations of a glorified Soviet past only exists in his deranged mind. He strung out on roids (both kinds, in all likelihood.) The Soviet Union was rejected because the world moved on.

[AlienCow]

International sanctions & inflation has already irked the general Russian population & looking at the numbers of high ranking officials committing suicides, it is very likely that a substantial faction within the Kremlin would not be happy & pleased by current circumstances surrounding the entire nation.

[willmac]

The west needs to send a msg that the oligarchs can get their situation made better if Putin is not in power

[rickjohnson]

Someone with no experience in commanding large bodies of troops taking charge is usually a prelude to disaster---ask General Paulus, among others.