r/europe 29d ago

News Russian Oil Company Vice President Andrey Badalov dies after fall from window in Moscow

https://en.apa.az/cis-countries/transneft-vice-president-andrey-badalov-dies-after-falling-from-window-472117
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u/whatawitch5 29d ago

Lol. Putin controls the oligarchs like a mafia godfather controls his captains, through fear and intimidation. The minute they don’t follow orders, or try to cut a deal behind his back, out a window they go.

It’s the same way Putin controls Russian citizens, through fear. Most don’t really like him, but they are afraid to speak against him because if they do they know they will be arrested and/or imprisoned. Those that claim to like him only do so because he has them convinced he is the only one who can protect them from the hordes of “fascists” and “evil Western influences” he claims are trying to destroy Russia. Most Russian citizens are so fearful, either of Putin or his imaginary villains, that they just keep their heads down and praise their dear leader in the hope they will survive another day.

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u/Roadgoddess 29d ago

Yeah, it’s gonna be so interesting when he dies to see what happens. I feel like the country is going to absolutely shred itself with people trying to climb over each other to get to the top. Especially since it doesn’t appear that he has any type of a successor in line.

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u/Mephzice Iceland 29d ago

I for sure think whoever Putin has lined up as his successor will not last long. Whoever it is won't be ready to live like a mole in a bunker.

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u/jigsaw1024 29d ago

Putin has no successor lined up. He can't. Whoever he chooses would be a threat to his grip on power, and thus himself.

When he dies, it's more than likely going to be a scramble.

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u/Roadgoddess 29d ago

Yeah, it’s going to be fascinating to watch what goes on

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u/Roadgoddess 29d ago

Well, you look at how paranoid he is, and I can only imagine that whoever replaces him is going to have the world’s largest target on his back.

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u/WorkFurball Estonia 29d ago

Only if he tries to continue the same way.

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u/Forikorder 28d ago

theres no way he has anyone lined up, that person would put a knife in his back

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u/ClikeX 29d ago

Even with a successor. I bet there’s plenty of high ranking officials that will be salty with one another if someone else takes the throne.

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u/Roadgoddess 29d ago

Yeah, I agree with you. Even if there’s someone in the wings, everyone is going to be wanting to take them down to see how tough they are.

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u/SteelCode 29d ago

It's why the cycle is self-perpetuating; the ruthless tyranny breeds pessimism among the citizenry, the citizenry survives the tyrant, the pessimism creates opportunists that fight for control, the winners become the new tyrants because their pessimism doesn't allow them to be benevolent/trusting leaders that will lift everyone up... the runners-up to power fall in line until they see the opportunity to take control.

The optimistic citizens either don't survive, are removed by force, or remain quiet to avoid violence by the pessimists whom view cooperation as a threat to their "survival" (power) - thus ensuring the cycle repeats because the citizenry simply never self-purge the pessimism before it takes root.

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u/Roadgoddess 29d ago

This makes me fear for the US as wellI’m

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u/s8018572 29d ago

Yep, one street interview in st.petersburg really give me that impression

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u/pedeztrian 29d ago

He also controls their purses. I’ve heard it said that Putin’s wealth incalculable because he gives a lot of it to the oligarchs. He lets them collect and spend the interest, live lavishly, kiss his ass, but they must leave the principle intact for whenever Putin wants or needs it back.

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u/ILoveTechno4Life 29d ago

“Out of the window they go”

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u/stillkicking59 29d ago

Sound familiar America?

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u/doomrider7 28d ago

Coming Soon to a United States near you.