Vladimir Putin’s leadership is in crisis as the military is preparing to overthrow the Russian President as claimed by reports. 

The most authentic and explicit warning came from a Russian military commander who issued a stark warning to Putin in a viral footage that took the internet by storm. 

In a video widely circulating on social media platforms, Alexander Lunin, a 39-year-old former commander of a Russian volunteer battalion in occupied Ukraine, threatened to overthrow the leadership if the Kremlin “does not come clean about the war in Ukraine.”

In an Instagram video posted on Thursday, Lunin claimed of very serious consequences if the demands were not met. He also seeks a face-to-face meeting with Putin on the behalf of military and security officials and the meeting would be broadcasted live so the public can also hear the truth.  

"If in the near future I do not come to the Kremlin and speak live next to you, the army will turn its weapons against the Kremlin," he warned in the video.

In a country where leadership tightly grips the power, such threats sound more ominous, marking that something serious is brewing in Russia. 

In another post on Telegram, Lunin insisted that he was not “bluffing.” He said any harm to him or his family should be seen as a "signal" for an uprising.

According to some independent Russian media, these warnings are the result of mental and physical exhaustion faced by the military personnel embattled in years-long war with Ukraine. He called them “meat grinder” of the war, grappling with severe losses, poor treatment and punishments if they refuse orders. 

"No one wants bloodshed. Just make clear to the president that there will be total chaos here if this continues,” he said. 

For the first time in many years, Vladimir Putin faces a significant challenge. This follows the insurrection of June 2023, which was ignited by the Kremlin’s efforts to dismantle the Wagner Group, a prominent private military organization.