Former world chess champion and exiled Russian Garry Kasparov expects Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin to fall over the Ukraine war.

He told the “Spiegel”: “Putin’s military and economic capacity will be exhausted in the spring. By April at the latest, he will run out of ammunition, and the economy will no longer even be able to cover the basic needs of the Russians. That’s why Putin is in a hurry now, he’s looking for a good starting position for negotiations.”

Kasparov believes the defeat will be devastating for Russia. “From the history of Russia we know that every military and geopolitical defeat at home leads to dramatic political changes, whether it was the Crimean War in 1855, the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, the stalemate in World War I or the end of the Cold War in 1989. But this defeat could be the worst of all because it will be very visible. It will be like 1945 in Germany.”

At the same time, Kasparov reproaches his compatriots. “Russia today is a fascist dictatorship which, as we speak, is committing crimes against humanity. And everyone who lives in Russia now is part of this war machine, whether they want it or not.”

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