Kotkin, Stephen  <br/><br/>
The five futures of Russia: And How America can prepare for whatever comes next 

 - Foreign Affairs   
 - 103(3), May-Jun, 2024: p.64-83 
<br/><br/> Vladimir Putin happened to turn 71 last October 7, the day Hamas assaulted Israel. The Russian president took the rampage as a birthday present; it shifted the context around his aggression in Ukraine. Perhaps to show his appreciation, he had his Foreign Ministry invite high-ranking Hamas representatives to Moscow in late October, highlighting an alignment of interests. Several weeks later, Putin announced his intention to stand for a fifth term in a choiceless election in March 2024 and later held his annual press conference, offering a phalanx of pliant journalists the privilege of hearing him smugly crow about Western fatigue over the war. Reproduced <br/><br/>https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russian-federation/five-futures-russia-stephen-kotkin<br/>