Will Vladimir Putin continue after 2024

Vladimir Putin has said that he will not be standing for reelection in 2024. It has been a long journey from 1999 to 2024, 25 years guiding the Russian state. His has been the longest tenure after Stalin who led the USSR from 1924-1953.  Khrushchev after taking over undid a lot of Stalinism silently through reforms which popularly came to be known as De-Stalinization. Brezhnev's 20 year rule caused Brezhnev Stagnation( a term coined by Gorbachev). 

Gorbachev democratized the nation, invested in industry to boost economy but Glasnost and Perestroika measures could not stop the increasing nationalism sentiment which finally led to the collapse of Soviet Union.  Vladimir Putin has held the nation in a iron's fist for the past 25 years taking the country through its worst phases when USA slapped sanctions for annexing Crimea. 

Putin and Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree ratifying the Russia-Belarus union state program. They both  approved a military doctrine. Despite opposition of some segments in both countries, Putin said that it is important to create "an atmosphere of stability and security on the external borders of the "union state,". The Union State is a further development of their 1999 treaty to foster integration between the two nations. Putin said Russia will economically integrate the two nations by ensuring the labor visa-free mobility. Russia said that under the program, they will coordinate macroeconomic, monetary and credit policies and devise common policies in areas like industry, agriculture and energy, among others. 

It is interesting to note Russia,Belarus&Ukraine were the first to start the Commonwealth of Independent States(CIS)& declare that the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Interesting now to see Belarus tying up with Russia again. Ukraine is in west's grip of influence. Putin has always believed that Russia & Ukraine people were part of a mighty nation with aligned cultures. He has deplored the west sponsored de-Russification in Ukraine and  and the formation of an ethnically pure Ukrainian state that is hostile against Russia. Putin had in the past deplored the geographical divisions done during Soviet era and contended that Ukraine has been created at the expense of historical Russia. Russia has urged Ukraine to serve its own interests and not become a tool in other's hands. He said that "I am convinced that the true sovereignty of Ukraine is only possible in partnership with Russia"

Vladimir Putin is also facing the EU's ire for the troop buildup along the Ukraine border. The EU is dependent on Russia for its energy needs. It has accused Russia of not providing more gas into the European system forcing prices to move upward. Russia on November 15 conducted a Anti-Satellite technology test by destroying one of its own Satellites. Russia's Defence Ministry said the debris from the test had not posed a threat to the ISS, and that Washington knew this. Russia is a global leader in Nuclear Weapons already. Russia under Putin has invested heavily in modernising its weapons and technology. 

Vladimir Putin's legacy,Putinism will continue after him, especially the reversal of the pro-West yeltsin era. He is expected to chair the state council which will be a presidential advisory board. Tight control over the media has been his greatest achievement since even in the USA, Donald Trump could not control the media. Russia and China have been together working on several fronts including developing the Northern Sea Route along with Japan.