The potential downfall of Putin and Russia.
Former intelligence officers have warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin's position is more unstable than ever, and rumors of a coup plot against him are swirling. Putin's defeat in Ukraine could be a tipping point, leading to political chaos and a battle for power in the Kremlin. The Siloviki, Putin's inner circle of hardline loyalists, may be his biggest threat, but they would likely seek to stage-manage a succession rather than allow a figure like Yevgeny Prigozhin or Ramzan Kadyrov to seize power. Putin retains "escalatory options" to divert defeat, including escalating the war to drag in NATO members.