Could he be overthrown? Tyrant fought tyrant a little over a week ago, after the leader of Putin's Wagner Group launched a failed coup. The rebellion may have failed, but some think Putin's days are numbered.
On the brink: the world’s most dangerous man
Kremlin tremblin’: Some think Putin’s total 24 years of rule will soon be brought to an end. Glossary
Dissidents - People who publicly disagree with or criticise an authority or government, especially an oppressive one.
Siberia - A northern region of Russia, known for its harsh winters. It has a long history as a place of exile for criminals and political prisoners.
Despot - A medieval word for a ruler who exercises absolute power, by implication for the worse.
Dictators - Rulers with total power over a country.
Kim Jong-un - The leader of North Korea since 2011.
Xi Jinping - The president of China, who has concentrated power and removed term limits allowing him to serve for life.
Bashar al-Assad - The president of Syria since 2000. He fled to Russia with his family in 2024.
Putin - Vladimir Putin — Russia’s ruler since 2000. He is a strong opponent of the West.
Ally - A country that has agreed to support another one.
Yevgeny Prigozhin - A Russian oligarch and leader of the Wagner Group, a group of mercenary soldiers. He launched a failed coup against Russian president Vladimir Putin in June 2023.
Pretender - Somebody who pretends to be something they are not. A pretender to the throne claims to be the rightful ruler of a nation.
Anarchy - A situation in which there are no rulers. The term can be used to describe complete political chaos or mob rule, but those who call themselves anarchists generally believe in mutual aid and cooperation, not a war of all-against-all.
Emphysema - A lung condition that makes it difficult to breathe.
Soviet Union - Officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). A powerful group of communist republics, the biggest being Russia, that existed from 1922 to 1991.
Ruble - The Russian currency. It was the first currency in Europe to be decimalised, in 1704.
Oligarchs - After the collapse of the Soviet Union, most of the country’s economy fell into the hands of corrupt businessmen who became known as oligarchs. Putin cemented his early popularity by cracking down on these oligarchs, although he has since created a new oligarchy that is loyal to him.
Usurp - Take power by force or illegal measures.