The inter-clan infighting continues. Musk: "Putin will be killed if war stops"

Irina Severin | UAObserver

The deaths in Putin's close circle continue

The strange death of Sechin's son, almost synchronized with the murder of Navalny, was mostly ignored by the media but is important for understanding what happens in Russia.

Ivan Sechin, the 35-year-old son of Igor Sechin, died on February 5, but his death was not publicly reported. The diagnosis is the same as that given to Navalny at the beginning - a detached blood clot.

Sechin, one of Putin's closest associates, was behind Prigozhin's rebellion, which made clear that he had separate ambitions and views from Putin's, which Prigozhin conveyed to the public.

The son's death resembles a continuation of the purge, although it is unclear who is behind it. Putin/Patrushev, who still doubt Sechin’s loyalty after Prigozhin’s march.

Or Shoigu, who kept a low profile after subjugating Putin to his will but still did not give up his ambitions to replace Putin and remove potential candidates - the children of Putin’s associates in advance.

Musk: Putin will be killed if war stops

In this context, Musk's statement that Putin would be killed if he decided to stop the war is especially interesting. Musk didn't invent this idea; it was rather what Putin conveyed to Tucker Carlson.

Who threatens Putin and makes him continue the war? The spiritual leader behind this war is Shoigu. This is Shoigu, who won the sparing with Prigozhin, promoting an anti-war and anti-nuclear weapon position and de facto refusing to continue the war in Ukraine.

Did Shoigu consider Sechin, Prigozhin's patron, a bad influence over Putin and send him a message, or was it a message to Sechin and Putin/Patrushev?

Whatever Sechin's son's death shows, Putin's position inside the country, despite the death of Navalny and the purging of his sympathizers, is neither strong nor stable as long as Shoigu continues to preserve his influence inside the country and terrorize Putin and his close circle.

And as long as Shoigu continues covert domination over Putin, there is no chance that Putin could even think about stopping the war. To survive, Putin has to continue the war and pretend to enjoy it to the fullest.

Shoigu's attempt on Putin's life in 2014 still keeps him under pressure

Recently, Putin stated that he should start a full-scale war against Ukraine in 2014 when Shoigu insisted that the war could be finished in two weeks with Ukraine's capitulation.

Then, Putin refused to listen to Shoigu's proposition and was punished. He occasionally survived an assassination attempt as a result. Instead of Putin's plane, Shoigu's military targeted NH17, which followed the same route as Russian authorities insisted Putin used.

Therefore, Putin knows that the threat of assassination is real. He couldn't fire Shoigu in 2014 and can't fire him now. Therefore, he has to obey Shoigu and pretend to enjoy what he obeys, and this is his idea from the start.

And this is exactly what Putin does. The massive violence in Chechnya and Syria also was inspired, supported, and, in the case of Syria, executed by Shoigu.