Is This Kremlin Insider Being Positioned By Putin To Replace Him?

Vladimir Putin and Sergey Kiriyenko, May 5, 2015. TASS / Photo Alexey Nikolsky  

Zero Hedge: Putin's 'Viceroy Of The Donbas' & Top Confidant Seen As Likely Successor To Presidency 

During the opening months of the Ukraine war top US generals and officials went on record predicting that the conflict is likely to drag on for "years" to come. For example a headline in March observed it will turn into a quagmire, and that lawmakers at the Capitol were briefed "it is likely to last 10, 15, or 20 years." 

And now, fast-forward to the invasion's eight-month mark, where it does look to be settling in to a protracted stalemated situation. All the while speculation over the future of "Putin's war" and even his personal health abounds, with sensational headlines such as this in the UK Times this month: "Putin at 70: isolated, irrational and fearing for his health."  

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: Sergey Kiriyenko has been a Kremlin insider for decades (link here) who has deep ties to Putin .... Sergey Kiriyenko, the ‘Viceroy of the Donbas’ who helped launch Putin’s career (France 24). 

He is a hardliner, and Ukraine intelligence believes he is the one who will succeed Putin .... Kiriyenko sees himself as Putin successor, says Ukrainian military intelligence (The New Voice of Ukraine). Ukraine has also marked him as a target .... Putin's Right Hand Man Narrowly Avoids Ukraine Ambush–Report (Newsweek). 

Bottom line. 

Sergey Kiriyenko is as establishment as you can get in Russia. But he does not have a political base outside of the Kremlin, which is why he will not be the one replacing Putin. But he will be one of many players on who will be Putin's replacement.