"It is impossible to say what will happen in Russia. One can assume that nothing good will happen for Russia or its neighboring countries," said Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) chief Arnold Sinisalu in an interview with Vikerraadio.

Sinisalu believes, that, when it comes to Russia, stability should not be expected. "Perhaps the main thing to understand is, that even though there is a lot of talk about (Russian President Vladimir) Putin the problem is not Putin, but the system itself."

In Sinisalu's view, if the political system in Russia does not change significantly, the same issues will simply be repeated.

"If the (Russian) economy stabilizes and someone (else) concentrates power in their own hands, then when (that) person has been sitting on the throne for 20 years, at some point they too will develop delusions of grandeur and want to start restoring the empire. Will (Russia) emerge from this kind of cycle? Whether there is a real desire to change things in a constructive way, depends a lot on what kind of collapse happens and who takes up the reins," Sinisalu said.

The KAPO chief added, that if things go well in Russia and a stable democratic system is established, from an Estonian perspective, it would be like winning the lottery.

"It would be great if that happens, but you can't base your strategy on it. We have to be prepared for a long confrontation," Sinisalu said.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!