“He lives by certain rules of the game, we use a Russian word ‘ponyatiya’ which literally translates as ‘understandings’.”
Mr Ponomarev also addressed the speculation and rumours that have surrounded Putin’s health.
The Russian President has been the subject of unsubstantiated claims over the years, ranging from the suggestion he has cancer to rumours being spread that he has body doubles. Mr Ponomarev believes these claims are coming from inside the Kremlin to help boost Putin’s political objectives.
He said: “I don’t believe in the doubles as I believe they are spread by Putin himself. When you believe there are a lot of doubles then you don’t know who to attack…. an attack on Putin is pointless [if] you don’t know who you will kill.
“It is the same about [his] health. I believe they are deliberately spreading rumours like ‘he is almost dying.’ So when it comes to a real problem – no one will believe it.”
However, Mr Ponomarev does believe that Putin could die within the next five years, noting that the Russian President has had some health issues.
He said: “He could die in five years, three years, could be seven years, we shouldn’t make bets based on that if God decides then that’s good.
“[Putin] decides which strings to pull. He is a spider that sits in the middle of the web and all the elements of the web are interested in keeping him alive.”
The former Russian MP also believes that he can help spark Putin’s downfall and save Russia from “modern-day fascism.”
He added: “We need to provide not just a stick but also a carrot to take them out and that is very important so that the system will start to collapse. We are at a major milestone. We are ready to strike. Is he scared? Yes, we are at war. But our men on the ground are risking far more than us.”
