Ukraine war: Countdown has begun to end of Putin as Russian president, say Kyiv officials

The 24 hours of chaos caused by the mutiny of the Wagner Group in Russia, has severe consequences for the ongoing war in Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s authority. 

The Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, staged a rebellion, marching on Moscow ith an estimated 5,000 fighters. They stopped just 200km short of the capital. But by the end of Saturday, Prigozhin had called the whole thing off and ordered his men back to base. The whole ordeal has raised serious questions about Putin’s grip on power. 

The recent action has hardened the view in Kyiv, that Putin’s time as Russian president is coming to an end. 

“I think the countdown has started,” said Andriy Yermak, President Zelensky’s closest adviser.

At a recent briefing, he spoke about the first time Russia invaded Ukraine, annexing the Crimean Peninsula. “What Ukraine has seen since 2014 has become evident for the entire world,” said Mr Yermak.

“This [Russia] is a terrorist country whose leader is an inadequate person who has lost connection with reality. The world must conclude that it’s impossible to have any kind of serious relationship with that country.”

The BBC spoke to some senior officials who say Putin cannot ride out a catastrophic loss of authority. “The Putin regime” one of them insisted, “cannot be saved.”