Olga Kurnosova, Yelena Istomina, Congress of People’s Deputies

The current situation in the world, resulting from Russia's expansionist actions, significantly differs from the situation in the late 1930s and the late 1980s. By now, a dictatorial regime has been established in Russia. It is necessary to realize that the international community has never dealt with an aggressor of such magnitude, armed with nuclear weapons, and possessing one of the largest nuclear arsenals in the world. It seems that the leaders of the free world have forgotten the mistakes of the past and are close to repeating them.

The constant talks about the need to cease fire are terrifyingly reminiscent of the events in Munich in 1938. As we remember, they not only failed to stop the impending war but rather encouraged the aggressor. Moreover, Putin does not hide the fact that he is not fighting against Ukraine but against the entire collective West.

The formation of an Unholy Alliance – Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and partly China – poses a challenge to the existing system of international relations, both political and economic. The creation of more and more points of tension leads to the involvement of the United States and its allies in a series of various conflicts, and according to the Suleimani doctrine, it will lead to the exhaustion of the collective West. It is absolutely evident that the Putin regime utilizes the very Suleimani Doctrine in its political and military planning.

In our view, it is obvious that the only way to strengthen international security and restore the system of international relations is to dismantle the Putin regime. The political decision on Regime Change must finally be made, and the sooner the better. This can not only put an end to the Russo-Ukrainian war, but also show Putin's followers that any attempts at aggression will inevitably lead to their downfall. This is the main issue, and delaying its resolution can lead to catastrophic and irreversible consequences for the whole world.

No doubt, the immediate actors of Regime Change will be the Russians themselves. However, world leaders must formulate the main conditions for Russia's return to civilization. These signals must be directed to both Russian society and Russian political elites, regardless of their location. Russian society must once again hear that the world holds Putin and the country's political leadership responsible for the war, not the entire population. Political elites must hear that the West is ready to support changes in Russia and those who are willing to implement these changes.

The ongoing cementing of the regime increases internal tension and makes the split of the elite inevitable. Our task is to create microcracks in this cement that will accelerate the split and make it manageable. For example, many prominent members of United Russia, including State Duma deputies, consider themselves used and discarded on the political sidelines during Putin's ongoing pre-election campaign. And this is just one example. Such situations are widespread.

There is another circumstance that must not be forgotten under any circumstances. Undoubtedly, the dictator may disappear for objective reasons and the regime may then soften naturally. However, we want to remind you that after Stalin's death in1953, the USSR deployed troops to Hungary in1956 and to Czechoslovakia in1968. It was only30 years after Stalin's death, in1989, that the Berlin Wall fell. That is why we talk about the need for a political decision to change the regime. Only the presence of such a decision will make this process manageable and avoid catastrophic consequences.

The forms and methods of working with representatives of civil society in Russia, as well as with representatives of the Russian opposition, can vary. One thing is clear – it is necessary to develop specific scenarios for the transition of power in Russia, including the use of force.

In this regard, the experience of former deputies who are currently working outside of Russia in the framework of Congress of People’s Deputies on scenarios for the transitional period during a regime change, and who have already prepared a number of documents for the restructuring of the state, can be very valuable. These individuals were part of the government and know how to speak its language, they have the experience of elected representatives and have been actively working for over a year on shaping the image of a new modern state.