Moscow academic suggested Putin might step down in 2017. Then his prediction disappeared.

Valery Solovei is a professor at Russia’s prestigious Moscow State Institute of International Relations. He is well-respected within Russia-watching circles, known for a proximity to Kremlin circles that has enabled him to accurately predict several recent government appointments.

On Thursday, an interview with Solovei was published in the Moscow-based newspaper Moskovskij Komsomolets. In the interview, Solovei made a number of interesting claims — most surprisingly, that Russian President Vladimir Putin would step down in 2017.

That Putin would leave office is big news. The Russian president has few real rivals in the country’s political system, which he has effectively led since 2000. However, if you want to read it now on MK’s website, you are out of luck. The article has been removed, though the tweet that announced it still remains.

Read the whole story from the Washington Post.

Featured image courtesy of the Reuters.