Russia - threadbanned users in OP

If putin took a bottle of expensive vodka and a revolver into a bunker and did-for himself, who would take over and would they be much better? If putin is the biggest head-kicker in Russia, would the next in line just be the next biggest head-kicker or is there any real chance of genuine regime change?

Edit: @HalloweenJack addressed this a few posts ago.

Oh yeah, that's going to be one hell of a mess. You're right that if Ukraine wants to 'win back' some of its own territory, it means shelling it. I also think similar to what happened in Syria could happen in Ukraine. Initially there were two sides and it quickly became 37 sides. We could see more foreign volunteers appear in Ukraine, Belarus could gat involved. At that point the general western public will lose interest in the mess of Ukraine and it just becomes the new normal to have this low level war of attrition in a European country.

You seem nice.

Countries are free to choose to join NATO.

NATO doesn't have any "designs" to invade Russia, they are no threat to Russia, only to Putin's imperialist and history rewriting plans for neighbouring countries. Of course Putin spins Russia as the victim (always) and portrays it as expansionism.

We are here because Putin invaded Ukraine and was always going to invade Ukraine, NATO or no NATO.

Yeah I was gonna say surely you mean final 2 roubles but that would only be equivalent to a tiny fraction of 2 cents at this stage...

Yeah I'd agree 2 sides is easy to follow (us and them, good and evil) and that's the whole point of propaganda, to keep the natrative simple. We would probably lose interest pretty quickly of it becomes complicated with lots of sides.

Still can't see a nuclear option, but, I'm sure the it will never happen stance of many (including myself) is starting to erode little by little each day, nothing thus far in this conflict fits into what we would consider conventional after all.

Latest from Stoltenberg

"Stoltenberg stressed that Nato is not seeking a war with Russia.

Speaking in Brussels, he said Nato is a “defensive” alliance. “Our core task is to keep our 30 nations safe,” he said.

We are not part of this conflict and we have a responsibility to ensure it does not escalate and spread beyond Ukraine.

That would be even more devastating anand more dangerous, with even more human suffering."

Also warning it will get worse as Russia brings in more heavy weaponry

Sure military leaders love the permission to play their war games. That's what Aleppo was for them - think Guernica. A free shot to test their air strike capacity. War crimes without doubt. They probably also enjoyed the Donbass and Crimea 'manoeuvres'. However when they realise they have bitten off more than they can chew and the casualties mount up and/or Putin becomes increasingly unstable, they wont be shy in ousting him.

And looks like a no-fly zone is completely off the cards

Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg just said “Georgia and Bosnia may be at risk”

My entire view of russia is portrayed by the cardassian empire in star trek.

I go with Ferengi