NBC wonders if Vladimir Putin will remain in power

Russian Brown Bear

NBC is wondering if Russia’s President Vladimir Putin could lose his power:

January 2, 2015

Runs on the bank. Hyperinflation. Russia’s currency — the ruble — in free fall. It may sound like today’s Russia, but these were also the symptoms of its 1998 economic meltdown. That crisis eventually forced Russian President Boris Yeltsin out of power, and put Vladimir Putin, a shy and relatively unknown KGB official, in his place. …

Putin now faces another major economic crisis that, left unresolved, could threaten his hold on power.

“If [the] crisis will deepen, which most likely it will do, and if it will be quite prolonged, then of course sooner or later it will have an impact on [his] popularity,” said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of “Russia in Global Affairs.” …

Even as Russia sinks back into recession for the first time in six years, Putin remains popular with an approval rating surpassing 80 percent, according to a recent Associated Press-National Opinion Research Center poll.

Nekrilov would still vote for him. “I blame America for this situation,” he said. “They want to conquer the world and be Number 1!”

Some Kremlin-watchers would bet that Putin still has enough political capital — and foreign reserves — to ride out this storm if he can maintain his control over the Russian media and hammer home his message that Russia is under attack.

“There are American bases all over the world and you’re trying to say that we’re being aggressive,” Putin said in a defense of Russia’s defiance of NATO and the West during his annual live televised news conference on Dec. 18. “Our budget is $50 billion — the Pentagon budget is 10 times higher.”

“Maybe our bear should sit quietly, not chasing any piglets around, but just eating honey and berries. Maybe they should just leave him alone? They will not,” he added. “They are trying to put it on a chain. And as soon as they do it they will tear his teeth and claws out.”

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul says this siege mentality is part of a narrative Putin has adopted for at least the past couple of years. “That the West is out to get Russia, that the White House wants to bring about regime change inside Russia, and that he, Putin, is defending Russia against these external enemies.”

According to McFaul, this is why Russia is flexing its muscles, with Putin launching war games on the borders with Ukraine and the Baltics, and sending fighter jet patrols inside NATO air space in numbers unseen since the end of the Cold War. “He’s sending a signal, he’s testing the NATO alliance, and I think in very dangerous ways,” McFaul said. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russias-economic-crisis-can-putin-save-russia-himself-n275496

Could Vladimir Putin lose his position?

Yes.

Will he soon?

That is an entirely different matter.

Of course, PCG’s Gerald Flurry teaches this is not possible as he teaches that Vladimir Putin is the prophesied “Prince of Rosh” of Ezekiel 38.

Although Vladimir Putin is NOT the prophesied “Prince of Rosh” of Ezekiel 38, he could still remain in power until his term ends and possibly have influence later. In my view, he has taken several steps already to remain in power and is planning additional steps to keep in power.

What Vladimir Putin wants is governance over all the territories of the old Soviet Union, including Ukraine. That is part of why he pushed for and has agreed to a new Eurasian Union and oversaw the annexation of Crimea.

Yet, that is not all he wants. He has worked with China, India, Brazil, and South Africa to form an organization that is an alternative to the Western dominated International Monetary Fund (see BRICS take another step to reduce USA dollar dominance). He also wants to have broader military ties with China, India, and others and has been working towards that.

He also would like to drive more of a wedge between the European Union and the USA.

He wants the USA dollar dumped as the world’s reserve currency.

His goal is to establish a Russian-led empire in a world no longer dominated by the USA.

Yet, while Russia will not be the dominant force in the world for the next several years, the time will come when the USA will not be. And while that will not all be the direct result of Vladimir Putin’s plans, it will be the end result of what he, leaders in Europe, leaders in the USA, and leaders elsewhere are doing.

Russian leaders feel that Ukraine has been deceived by the West and will some day embrace Russia. Notice something published online by The Guardian a little while back:

The last few months have witnessed a coup d’état in Ukraine, military operations by the Ukrainian authorities against the people of Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts and rabidly anti-Russian policies on the part of Kiev. Was it possible to predict this turn of events just a year ago?

Nikolai Patrushev: Our experts warned that a worsening of the situation in Ukraine was likely under conditions of political and economic instability, particularly in the case of outside influence. But I have to admit that the possibility of a sudden seizure of power in Kiev, relying on armed units of self-proclaimed Nazis, hadn’t then been considered. It’s worth remembering that until that coup, Moscow fulfilled all its obligations to Kiev in full.

Without the material and financial help that we constantly supplied, Ukraine wouldn’t have been able to deal with its economic problems, which had become chronic. To help our neighbour, we marshalled material and financial resources worth tens of millions of dollars. For many people in Ukraine, this help came to seem so routine that they simply forgot how important it was for the survival of the country.

But if you’re talking about longer-term predictions, the Ukraine crisis was a totally predictable outcome of the actions of the US and its closest allies.

A whole generation of Ukrainians [have been] brought up to hate Russia and believe in the mythology of ‘European values’

For the last quarter of a century, these actions were designed to wrest Ukraine and other former Soviet republics away from Russia and to redesign the post-Soviet space in America’s interests. The US created the conditions and pretexts for the coloured revolutions and financed them lavishly. …

Ukraine simply cannot prosper without Russia, whether it likes it or not … The complete severing of these ties would be a painful blow for Russia but it would be a catastrophe for Ukraine

I think that when Ukrainians do come to their senses, it will be difficult and painful. We can only hope that this happens quite fast. Rapid disillusionment is possible for a whole range of reasons. I want to mention one more factor that is crucial. However events develop from here, the importance that Russia and Ukraine represent for one another will endure. Ukraine simply cannot prosper without Russia, whether it likes it or not. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/24/sp-ukraine-russia-cold-war

Vladimir Putin probably agrees with much of Nikolai Patrusky’s assessment. Most of those in Ukraine do not–and since this time, Ukraine has taken steps to get it closer to the West and NATO (see Russia providing impetus for Europe to arm; Ukraine moving towards NATO?). If Europe can pump enough money into Ukraine, the Ukrainians will keep their current leanings towards Europe for a time.

Russia will have ups and downs.

Vladimir Putin’s Eurasian Union just began officially yesterday and is a sign that he is making progress towards some of his goals.

And while Vladimir Putin will likely stay around for some time, he is replaceable.

The goal that he has to unite Asian powers with Russia will come to pass according to biblical prophecy (Jeremiah 51, Jeremiah 52, Revelation 16), though not quite as Vladimir Putin himself seems to think. Nor as people such as US President Barack Obama think.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy and a video sermonette available: Ukraine in Prophecy?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 Who is 666? This article explains how the COG views this, and compares this to Ellen White.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
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