In a 6,500 word critique of Putin's Russia, Bondarev said the state was infested by sycophantic "yes men" who repeated the Kremlin's line, allowing Putin to make crucial decisions in an echo chamber of his own propaganda. "It’s entirely possible his successor will try to carry on the war, especially given that Putin’s main advisers hail from the security services. But no one in Russia commands his stature, so the country would likely enter a period of political turbulence. The foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Bondarev's article. "Russians might unify behind an even more belligerent leader than Putin, provoking a civil war, more outside aggression, or both," he said.

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