Sitemap
Raj K

Raj K

On YouTube, I explore ideas that inspire people to take action. On Medium, I write about lessons from geopolitics, the Russia-Ukraine war, and shifts in the US.

Member-only story

The Secret Battle for the Kremlin Has Already Begun

Putin has concentrated power around himself, but he cannot prevent the succession battle that may follow him

6 min readOct 14, 2026

--

Press enter or click to view image in full size
putin-kremlin-succession-power-struggle Credit: AI-generated image

The biggest contradiction of dictatorial systems is that the dictator behaves as if he is immortal, while the courtiers around him constantly look to fill the possible power vacuum.

Putin is approaching 74. As this dictator's time at the top grows, the number of people in the corridors of the Kremlin who believe in the claims of any magical “elixir” or eternal youth keeps shrinking.

On the surface, it may look like complete peace and unbroken loyalty, but Putin’s inner courtier system is already preparing for the world after him, that is, for the battle of succession.

But Putin is neither preparing a successor nor does he currently intend to. He runs a system in which the moment a successor's name is mentioned, the ruler loses relevance.

Many people ask: in which direction will power turn after Putin, and which players are currently at the forefront of this hidden race?

— — — — —

To understand Putin’s current political behavior, it becomes essential to look at Soviet history, especially the final phase of Joseph Stalin’s rule.

--

--

Raj K
Raj K

Written by Raj K

On YouTube, I explore ideas that inspire people to take action. On Medium, I write about lessons from geopolitics, the Russia-Ukraine war, and shifts in the US.