Should Putin´s regime be overthrown by supporting Russian opposition?

In the United States, Swedish economist Anders Åslund contemplated how the war in Ukraine could be brought to an end. According to him, Jevgeni Prigožin's recent attempted coup "demonstrated that Russia is practically defenseless on its own territory, as Putin has sent all his real troops and weapons to Ukraine. Apparently, it is better to attack Russia directly than the fortified and mine-saturated occupation zones in Ukraine."

He also noticed that the rebels were not punished, and Vladimir Putin even agreed to negotiate with them after the insurgency. According to Åslund, this showed weakness, and "this weakness could be potentially fatal for Putin."

Therefore, Åslund suggests that Western countries should strive to overthrow Putin's regime from within by supporting Russians opposing him. This way, results could be achieved faster than by causing the deaths of thousands of Ukrainians in well-fortified Russian frontlines.

Åslund also reminded us that we should learn from history: "The threat is not Russia's instability, but Putin! Nobody, including Putin, benefits from the use of nuclear weapons. The sooner Putin is defeated, the lower the risk of nuclear war. Defend freedom and democracy!"

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It would be desirable if the Russians themselves were to overthrow Putin's regime. However, a significant problem may arise, especially because during his long rule, the dictator has managed to eliminate any credible opposition within the country. Consequently, it might be impossible for Western countries to find a force that would be willing and capable of toppling Putin from power.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that if such a force were to emerge, perhaps even from Putin's inner circle, the new administration could be even more insane than Putin himself. There is a historical example of this, referring to the developments following the Russian March Revolution. Initially, democratic forces toppled the Tsar from power, but later, the hardline Communists, led by Lenin, took control in October Revolution.

Thus, Russia's democratic development came to a halt, leading to a communist authoritarian regime with long-lasting effects that are still visible today, despite the collapse of the Soviet Union more than 30 years ago. The Moscow government continues to violate human rights and allow political elites to plunder national assets. As a result, we face a wicked problem for which an easy solution may not even exist.

Nevertheless, the downfall of Putin's criminal regime, by any means, is in the best interest of the entire world, not least the Russian people - even if they don't fully comprehend it.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Putin´s Russia got mad about the Finnish chairman of the Parliament
Does the attack by Russian rebels pose a problem for Ukraine?
Incapable of learning but capable of genocide