Putinovo Rusko – Rok 2025: Co čeká režim a kam směřuje země?

Jak se z nenápadného úředníka KGB stal jeden z nejmocnějších a nejkontroverznějších lídrů světa? V této speciální sérii podcastu 4 minuty podrobně sledujeme cestu Vladimira Putina k moci – od jeho dětství v sovětském Leningradu, přes kariéru ve zpravodajských službách, až po zásadní momenty jeho vlády, které přetvořily Rusko i celý svět. Jaké události formovaly jeho politiku? Jaké jsou kořeny současného konfliktu? A co čeká Rusko dál?

Transcript

Welcome to the final episode of the Putin’s Russia series, where we have followed, step by step, how a former Soviet secret service agent became the absolute ruler of the world’s largest country. We’ve traced Putin’s journey from Leningrad through the KGB to the Kremlin, his rise to power, the gradual construction of an authoritarian regime, foreign aggression, domestic repression, and today’s geopolitical isolation. In this concluding episode, we look at what Putin’s Russia looks like in 2025 – and what scenarios may shape its future.

As of 2025, Vladimir Putin is entering his fourth decade in power. The country he governs has become a tightly centralized and repressive system. The public space is entirely controlled by the state – media, schools, the internet, and culture are all subject to censorship and ideological oversight. Elections are nothing more than a ritual confirmation of predetermined results. Society is heavily militarized, patriotism has become a civic duty, and any deviation from the official narrative is criminalized.

Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine has turned into a chronic conflict. The front line remains largely static, but blood continues to be spilled. Both sides are suffering losses, but the Russian public has stopped asking questions. The media selectively reports events, dissenting voices are silenced, and military setbacks are masked with victorious rhetoric. In some regions, tensions are beginning to rise – among mothers of conscripted soldiers, amid economic hardship, and within elites outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg. These may be early signs of a potential shift.

While the Russian economy has not collapsed, it has changed beyond recognition. It is no longer a market-driven system, but a wartime planned economy. Western technology has disappeared, foreign investment has dried up, and many companies have left the country. What remains is increasingly redirected toward Asia – especially China, which sets the terms and treats Russia more as a supplier of cheap raw materials than as an equal partner. The middle class is shrinking, young people are leaving, and social mobility is in decline.

The regime maintains loyalty mainly through propaganda, control, and the continuous creation of external enemies. The enemy is the West, Ukraine, NATO, liberals, or alleged "traitors within." This permanent state of perceived threat keeps the population tense – but also exhausted. A growing number of young people are starting to distance themselves – quietly, cautiously, and subtly. Alternative channels are emerging online, along with underground culture and satire that the regime still struggles to suppress.

Looking ahead, several scenarios are possible. The first is the continuation of the current trend – a stable, repressive state without major reforms. The second is a gradual erosion – where dissatisfaction, economic strain, and war fatigue slowly weaken the system’s foundation. The third possibility is a sudden collapse – triggered by a crisis, an internal split, or mass unrest. And the fourth scenario is a slow, quiet democratization – unlikely at the moment, but possible if enough internal and external pressure builds over time.

Putin’s Russia in 2025 is a regime that still stands, but rests on fragile foundations. Much of its stability is held together by fear, habit, and the illusion of strength. How long this will last – and whether space will ever open for a different future – remains one of the most important geopolitical questions of our time.

With this, we conclude our series Putin’s Russia. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, we’d love for you to follow us – we’re called 4min Podcast, and you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, where we share maps, infographics, expanded materials, and current updates related to each episode.

And we’re excited to invite you to our next upcoming series, which will explore narratives as instruments of soft power. We’ll dive into how global powers – from Russia and China to the United States – use stories, historical symbolism, emotional appeals, and disinformation to shape public opinion in foreign countries. And how such tactics are used to undermine trust, destabilize societies, and gain influence without firing a single shot.

Thank you for listening.