He's lorded over the Kremlin for more than 17 years.
He's crafted an image as Russia's indispensable man.
And few doubt that he will seek and win a fourth term as president in March.
But Vladimir Putin turns 65 this weekend and the growing sense in Moscow is that his next term will be his last.
So what happens if Russia's irreplaceable man becomes the Kremlin's lame duck?
On this week's Power Vertical Podcast, we look at the next phase of the Putin era and the potential for clan warfare as the elite prepares for what comes next.
Joining me will be veteran journalist Kiryl Sukhotski, executive editor for Current Time TV, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, and Mikhail Fishman, a political analyst and anchor at Dozhd-TV.
Also on the podcast, Kiryl, Mikhail, and I will look ahead to the protests opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has planned for Putin's birthday.
Enjoy...
Listen to or download the podcast above or subscribe to The Power Vertical Podcast on iTunes.
