‘We will be happy if Vladimir Putin dies’, Ukraine ambassador to UK says

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not a “master genius” but is merely the current “alpha” of a deeply corrupt and complex Russian political system, Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK said as per Newsweek.

Vladimir Putin has become more “frantic” as some power groups are vying for influence in Russia, the envoy said.

“I don’t believe that he is a master genius who is sitting, planning where to move his pieces, and pulling the strings,” Vadym Prystaiko said, adding, “The system is very complicated, it’s not simplified. It’s a big organism.

The Russians have their own interests, their own core groups. There are buddies of Putin, and there are enemies of his. They recognize that the alpha is still there, but he is weakening. Obviously, the weaker he is, the more frantic movements will happen.”

Either a full collapse or simply the removal of Vladimir Putin would be welcome, the ambassador said, adding, “If we push against everything which represents this dictatorial regime, within or outside of Russia, that’s fine.”

“We will either push the system strongly enough that they will replace the alpha dog, or the alpha will die for whatever reason—we will probably never know what it was—and the system will change. We don’t care,” he said.

“Whether we will be happy if Putin dies, obviously. Nobody wishes death upon any human being, but we do for this particular guy,” he added.

On whether Vladimir Putin’s replacement would be better for Ukraine, the diplomat said, “What I hate here in the West is that each and every time we discuss something like this, people somehow magically come to the conclusion that the next guy after him will be worse. How do you know that? Why would you bet that somebody can’t be reasonable? Or a bit more reasonable than Putin?”