It’s a 12.5% betting chance that Putin will be out by May 1st
The only betting I can find that links to the Ukraine crisis is on the Smarkets betting exchange on whether Putin will still be Russian president on May 1st.
He has certainly taken a massive gamble with his decision to invade Ukraine and as the death toll rises on both sides the question is how does this all end?
NATO is being very guarded about it getting involved because there must be a risk that if Putin is pushed too far he will pull the nuclear trigger which would be a calamity for the world.
Putin was clearly smart enough to realise that right from the start which is why he thinks he can get away with such an action. The risk of nuclear war is just too great so all parties have to be extra cautious.
I know that many experts take the view that this cannot be resolved while Putin remains President of Russia. The issue here is that there has been such a clampdown on the ability of ordinary Russian citizens to access the Western media that most Russians will be up in the dark about what is actually going on.
I’ve had a small bet on the Smarkets market.