Andrei Illarionov: I was Putin’s right-hand man in the Kremlin — here’s what you don’t know about him and why the Ukraine war will end in only one way

Andrei Illarionov reveals the reason why Vlad turned against the West

Vladimir Putin’s regime must be toppled for Ukraine to win the war, the tyrant’s former chief adviser warned, writes The Sun.

Andrei Illarionov said the Russian leader, 71, has had his sights set on Ukraine since the early days of his presidency - and he will never give up.

Russia’s former economic advisor Andrei Illarionov next to Putin back in 2004Credit: AFP

Ukrainian troops fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops on the frontline in KharkivCredit: Reuters

Rescuers scramble to find survivors after a rocket attack in KharkivCredit: EPA

 

Vlad was made prime minister of Russia 25 years ago - and months later, he became president.

In the two decades of Putin’s reign, the tyrant has cemented his iron-fist rule, built allies in the Middle East and China, annexed Crimea and launched all-out war on Ukraine.

And in 2020, crafty Vlad changed Russia’s law to let him to remain in the number one job for two more terms.

It means the tyrant is set to rule Russia until 2036 - and Illarionov, 62, warned that the Russian leader is determined to "achieve his goals".

As he wages war against Ukraine, it’s important to understand what makes the Russia president tick, Illarionov said.

He told The Sun: "If he set the goal, he is very serious about achieving the goal.

"It means he is very serious in preparations, very serious in thinking it through and preparing different options to get the goal finished.

"It means not one option, not two options - tens, dozens. And if he really decides to do something, he won’t forget.

"He would do once, twice, thrice until it is achieved. I can recall very few cases where he would cancel, forget or divert his intentions."

Illarionov is the former chief economic advisor of Putin who worked with the dictator between 2000 and 2005.

After resigning in 2005 Illarionov went on to be an outspoken critic of Vlad and has slammed him at various points throughout his two and a half decades of dominance.

Last August, Russia added llarionov - who moved to the United States after he quit - to its registry of foreign agents.

As the Ukraine war rages on with few signs of Putin surrendering or signing a peace deal, Mr Illarionov admitted it’s "possible" to stop the despot.

He added: "It’s possible if countries would form a union with the goal of finishing Putin’s regime.

"So far, nobody has set this goal. Neither the US president, none of European leaders, not even Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is proposing a so-called peace formula.

"He did not produce a victory formula. The only way to have medium-term security for Eastern Europe and Europe is just to finish with the Putin regime."

 

He is very serious in preparations, very serious in thinking it through and preparing different options to get the goal finished

Andrei Illarionov

For the first three years of Putin’s presidency, he appeared genuinely interested in joining the Western world, Mr Illarionov said.

Friendly with former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Putin’s first foreign visit was to London, and Blair was the first foreign leader to visit Vlad in Russia.

Mr Illarionov explained why Putin turned against the Western world - instead of joining it.

He said: "The turning point that led Putin to change his mindset was the Iraq war from 2003.

"That war was launched by George Bush Jr... which Putin was arguing against very forcefully with many arguments.

"And he used those arguments that later turn out to be correct. We should not overlook that Putin is pretty smart."

The former adviser added: "What is remarkable about Putin is that he is not hiding. He is, to some extent, unbelievably open.

"You need to read him and to hear and to understand what he has in mind.

"He announced his offensive against Ukraine and the West in 2003.

"We need to admit how consistent he is if he announced it publicly.

"Publicly he announced his goal in September 2003 and he continues to execute this goal and this strategy for 21 years."

Illarionov has openly slammed the Russian invasion of Ukraine - andd blasted recent Russian policies as "a catastrophe".

But the former senior policy adviser believes the war with Vlad can be won.

"My firm belief that the Ukraine war can be won and the victory can be achieved only if not only Ukraine but friends of Ukraine would participate in the battle," he said.

"The concept that we keep hearing that Ukraine can defend itself, not even win, but can defend itself alone is completely wrong.

"Ukraine cannot do it alone.

"Only joint efforts of democracy-loving countries can defend Ukraine, can stop the aggressor and can get to the victory."

PUTIN’S WAR REGIME

Since coming into power Vlad has become an enemy for many Western states through his brazen and hatred fuelled moves.

A decade ago, unmarked Russian tanks moved into the Crimean peninsula as Putin invaded.

It marked the beginning of a grinding and painful war that would eventually be fought all across Ukraine in recent years.

Russian troops dubbed "little green men" appeared in uniforms without insignia or bearing any flags.

In under two months between February and March 2014, Putin’s forces seized strategic sites, installed their own illegally appointed officials and annexed the peninsula.

Then on February 24, 2022, Putin angered the world as he sent his men into Ukraine.

Putin would go on to say he wanted to reclaim many territories lost at the fall of the Soviet Union - although he initially called the invasion a "peacekeeping mission."

Since then hundreds of thousands of Russian troops have been killed in Putin’s barbaric war with many civilians from both sides losing their lives.

Ukraine has valiantly fought back after over two years of defending their front lines with them making a major incursion into the Russian region of Kursk this month.

Kyiv has taken control of around 80 settlements in Kusrk and a formidable 1,000 square kilometres of enemy soil as of this week.

The mini invasion is said to have left Putin seething with experts labelling it as Russia’s worst defeat on home soil since the end of World War Two.

It is also an epic blow to President Putin’s image as the strongman protecting the motherland with him struggling to keep control.

US President Biden has also said Putin is facing a “real dilemma”.

Predictably, Russian officials blamed the Kursk assault on the West as they trotted out their sabre-rattling threats about triggering World War Three.

Thomas Brown