A Norwegian expert says the Russian President Wladimir PutinHis regime is on the verge of collapse as its faltering invasion of Ukraine continues to hurt the economy.

What happened: Iver Neumannthe director of Norway’s Fridof Nansen Institute and Russia expert, predicted that Putin’s refusal to reform the country’s economy, compounded by the invasion of Ukraine, could be “the beginning of the end” of his regime.

“So, since Putin’s tenure began 22 years ago, very little, if anything, has happened to the economy. And I find it amazing that a trained Marxist like Putin just doesn’t understand that material factors matter,” Neumann said RFE/RL in an interview.

“Putin says: ‘The West will have its economy and we will have, or will have, our Volya, and with that we will persevere. But that’s just not how it works. So, I think this is the beginning of the end for Putin’s regime,” he added.

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Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, citing his desire to liberate the separatist Donbass region in the war-torn nation. However, as Western nations poured in their support, Putin struggled to achieve his main goals.

While he was fighting on the war front, reports abounded that indicated the dissatisfaction of his own army and the Russian people.

Neumann pointed to a myriad of factors that could negatively impact Putin’s economy, including the sanctions, companies going out of business following the invasion, and the reduced willingness of other countries to trade with Russia.

However, he pointed out that it is difficult to predict exactly when the regime might collapse or what might follow.

Photo: Courtesy of Prachatai on flickr