Putin to be ousted in ‘Black Swan’ palace coup? Ex-CIA chief makes bombshell claims

A former CIA chief with three decades of experience in the intelligence field, Jack Devine, is boldly predicting the downfall of Russian President Vladimir Putin in what he refers to as a 'Black Swan' palace coup.The term 'Black Swan' is used for an event that is rare and unpredictable.

Devine, in an exclusive interview with The Sun, expressed his belief that Putin's days are numbered, stating, "Putin could disappear tomorrow, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some element in the government had decided they were going to take executive action."

Devine, who led thousands of spies on covert missions, points to Putin's increasingly unpredictable and dangerous behaviour, particularly his invasion of Ukraine, as the catalyst for his "political demise".

The war in Ukraine, marked by brutal assaults and severe casualties, has led to a decline in Putin's popularity, Devine anticipated while also predicting a 'Black Swan' event or a palace coup, especially if Russia's efforts result in a "permanent stalemate" in Ukraine.

Despite Putin's determination to press on with the war, Devine believes that as losses and violence become more visible to Russian citizens, recruitment will become increasingly challenging, and the war less popular.

“He will have a hard time recruiting, but it is Russia after all. He will find a way to strong arm, entice," he told The Sun.

While acknowledging the uncertainty of the future, he warned that the replacement for Putin is unlikely to bring dramatic changes.

In light of this, Devine also laid emphasis on the importance of monitoring the geopolitical landscape, particularly the 'Axis of Evil' consisting of China, Iran, and Russia, as they attempt to strengthen their alliance.

“And I think we can see it being demonstrated with the Hamas attack in Israel and how Russia is playing that," he said adding, “The expansionist abilities of Putin are psychological and political right now, and I think it’s in the non-European world where he’s making some progress.”

(With inputs from agencies)