Paul Goble: Piontkovsky says Kremlin elite engaged in search for Putin’s replacement
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev before a Security Council meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow
Staunton - Both Vladimir Putin's plans for Ukraine – his initial one of absorbing much of Ukraine and his "Plan B" of having the West force Ukraine into agreeing to make concessions– have failed, Andrey Piontkovsky says; and "the interests of Putin and his closest entourage" now “seriously diverge, with the latter searching for his replacement.
