What does Sarah Paine think happens in Russia after Putin dies?

Sarah Paine compared Vladimir Putin's Russia to a mafia family with layers of lieutenants, so his death would set off a free-for-all that no one inside can predict. With many Russians now holding military training, she said civil war is possible but unknown, and instability is certain. Offering a figure she said was made up, she guessed a shattered dictatorship takes about 10 years to rebuild, and said democracies should keep plans on the shelf for such moments.

• Paine does not expect a democratic Russian leader soon and said she has never heard of Russians who think taking Ukraine is a bad idea.
• Paine said Ukraine gave up its Soviet-era nuclear weapons on a US promise of protection that was later broken.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett (2026-10-29). Read the whole episode summary →

▸More from this episode