A quarter century of Vladimir Putin

Putin is approaching 25 years in power. Few leaders can claim that. Stalin reigned supreme for 30 years but I suspect Putin will catch up with him. He dominates Russia. Russia is Putin. For a former lieutenant-colonel in the KGB he has hung onto the apparatus of autocratic power with relative ease. No one has succeeded in challenging him. Most opposition figures who got anywhere near embarrassing him have died, and not from old age. His special military operation in Ukraine was supposed to be over after a few months. Yet, after nearly three years of death and destruction, the people of Russia haven't risen up in rebellion. They appear to believe him when he says he is fighting for the integrity and independence of the Russian motherland. Whether they love him or not is impossible to tell but they seem to accept that Putin is going to be their leader for the foreseeable future. He is untouchable, an arch manipulator and one of the most recognisable figures on the world stage, even though there is an international warrant for his arrest on war crimes and he can't fly to most countries in the world. Now he is probably going to face his biggest challenge - Donald Trump in the White House. It's going to be a fascinating confrontation. But don't expect Putin to lose. He has 25 years of experience at the survival game.