Vladimir Esipov, is a colleague here on DW’s Russian desk and he says: "Putin wants to keep the power - and make Russia great again." 

 

 

 

Alexander Rahr is a political scientist and analyst specializing on Russia. His view:
"As a whole, this is change like the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. How explosive it will be remains to be seen." 

 

 

Sabine Adler is a correspondent at German broadcaster Deutschlandradio. She says: "Sowing divisions, supporting dictators, subverting borders: Russia remains on the wrong side of history."