Navalny Pal on What’s Next for Putin If He Wins—or Loses
On the latest New Abnormal, a colleague of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny predicts the challenges Putin will face trying to control the governments of Russia and Ukraine.
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty
Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine isn’t going quite how he thought it would.
That’s New Abnormal co-host Molly Jong-Fast’s take on the Russian president’s war on his neighbor—and Vladimir Ashurkov, who worked with Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on an anti-corruption foundation, agrees.
Ashurkov says it’s no sure thing that Putin will succeed in seizing parts of Ukraine.
“Despite the overwhelming military advantage of Russian forces, Ukrainians have put up probably an unexpected level of resistance [by] both the military and civilians,” he says on Tuesday’s episode. “So militarily, I don’t think this conflict is really decided.”
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What could happen if Putin does succeed? Molly asks.
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Even if the Russian strongman does win, controlling Ukraine or even his own country won’t be easy, Ashurkov says—and forming a government in a country that despises Russia will be just one of many hurdles.
That leads Molly to another question: “Do you see a world where Vladimir Putin finds Russia impossible to govern?”
Ashurkov says there is reason for optimism.
Also in the episode, co-host Andy Levy weighs in on the war—and shares some of his biggest fears about Putin: “You’ve got a guy who’s rapidly becoming isolated, who is looking around going, ‘Is my only friend left the nuclear button?’ and that’s terrifying.”
Plus! NBC News’ Jonathan Allen details what he saw at CPAC, including a screaming match at a bar where two men argued about Ukraine and one called the other a “shill for the queen.”
The hosts shout out the GOP politicians who played dumb when asked why they attended a white nationalist-run conference, The American First Political Action Conference also known as AFPAC. In particular, Andy has a message for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA): “It’s OK to cancel Nazis.”
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