When I was an undergrad, majoring in Political Science (which is neither political or science) and minoring in history, most of the dictatorships in the world were run by men whose support was concentrated in the upper levels of the military and the bureaucracy. Leonid Brezhnev was a case in point, harking back to the Stalinist model.
My, how things have changed! The latest iteration of a Russian dictator is more aligned with the Peter the Great model of absolutist monarch. Vladimir Putin is propped up by a gaggle of plutocrats who owe their wealth and position to him. As long as these men believe their interests are served by sticking with Putin, he will remain in power. The reverse is also true. The recent attempted coup by "Putin's chef" is a case in point. Prigozhin must have been calling many of Putin's allies to see if he could pry them away from their allegiance. When it appeared he could not do so, he abandoned the enterprise and supposedly accepted exile in Belarus.
This state of affairs cannot last very long. The loss of the Wagner group will significantly affect the war effort in Ukraine. If the Ukrainians' counter offensive pushes Russian forces back, the calculus of Putin's allies will change. Chaos is the most likely result with no clear leader emerging it will be a dangerous time for Russia and the world.
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