So here’s a thought. I’m no Agatha Christie or Claus von Stauffenberg, but what about this? What about getting all the oligarchs together in one big, ornate room? If they’re in a WFH frame of mind, Zoom will do. It would be a bit like the meeting of the Five Families in The Godfather, but with thicker fingers and newer teeth.
The oligarchs probably know more about Putin than anyone except his plastic surgeon, furniture gilder, or food taster. Tell them, Look, you’ve lost a lot of your luster—not to mention boats, bank accounts, oil companies, football clubs, and girlfriends. It’s hard to imagine anyone outside of Ukraine who wants Putin removed more than his fellow kleptocrats do. Tell them to combine their forces—and their considerable resources—to eliminate the man, Murder on the Orient Express–style. All participants would be involved in the plot, but no single oligarch would get fingered for the hit.
