Abbas Gallyamov, a former speechwriter for Vladimir Putin, touched on the precarious position of the Russian president in the wake of the ongoing war with Ukraine.
What Happened: Talking with CNN's Erin Burnett about the escalating economic problems and increasing Russian death toll, Gallyamov said that this could erode the patience of an old dictator, an old tyrant. "I think I know that a coup, or an elite coup in general, will be possible," Gallyamov said.
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In a year, when the political situation changes, and there's really hated, unpopular president as the head of the country, and the war is really unpopular, they need to shed blood for this. A coup is a real possibility at this moment. Why Does It Matter: Gallyamov was asked if there was a possibility of a military coup. He said, Well, I can say, military but it is also possible to say that they will definitely have some civilian allies. It would be a military elite coup, something in between. The former speechwriter also touched on Putin's health and state of mind. He says he seems to be in good shape physically. He was much better in spring, then say April and May. He is acting erratically and he is making mistakes judging by his abductions. Gallyamov, who is a former political consultant to Putin, said in a column for a Russian media outfit that Putin has started to look like a second-rate dictator. Putin Will Give Up Only When Inner Circle Forces Him To Stop: Expert Says Chasing Away Russian Army Not Enough