[GK3]

The imminent demise of Vladimir Putin has been reported for ages.  Likewise the imminent collapse of the Russian economy has been reported since the beginning of the war.  One of these days one or both may prove to be correct, but I think at this point both have proved resilient enough that the default assumption ought not to be that they are collapsing imminently.

That doesn’t mean it can’t happen.  I would not have bet on Bashar al-Assad’s fall and Syria’s collapse when it happened either.  Hopefully some day Putin will meet the same fate (and for Ukraine’s sake, sooner rather than later).  But for now, I see him trudging along.

BC

Your points are well taken, I do not think that there is an imminent chance of the Russian government collapsing.  As you say Putin will trudge along until he can't.  When does can't come into play?  When he either dies of natural causes or other causes or the Oligarchs get tired ofr watching their Russian assets decline in value.  I do believe that at some point the Oligarchs will make the hard decision and change things.  And do so before things really get out of hand.

[GK3]

The imminent demise of Vladimir Putin has been reported for ages.  Likewise the imminent collapse of the Russian economy has been reported since the beginning of the war.  One of these days one or both may prove to be correct, but I think at this point both have proved resilient enough that the default assumption ought not to be that they are collapsing imminently.

That doesn’t mean it can’t happen.  I would not have bet on Bashar al-Assad’s fall and Syria’s collapse when it happened either.  Hopefully some day Putin will meet the same fate (and for Ukraine’s sake, sooner rather than later).  But for now, I see him trudging along.

BC

Your points are well taken, I do not think that there is an imminent chance of the Russian government collapsing.  As you say Putin will trudge along until he can't.  When does can't come into play?  When he either dies of natural causes or other causes or the Oligarchs get tired ofr watching their Russian assets decline in value.  I do believe that at some point the Oligarchs will make the hard decision and change things.  And do so before things really get out of hand.