Russian insiders are allegedly secretly looking for replacements for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the event that the war in Ukraine kicks him out of power or he succumbs to poor health, according to independent Russian news site Meduza.

The perception of the Russian elites on Putin’s “special military operation” has flipped several times over the course of three months. Initially, Russian oligarchs were taken aback by the move to go to war against Ukraine. Soon, the anxiety was replaced by a wave of patriotism, with several key Russian figures standing by Putin’s decision.

However, as the war drags on and as the West continues to cripple the Russian economy with sanctions, pessimism against the conflict is once again gaining momentum.

“It won’t be possible to live like before. Any talk of development is out the window. But life goes on. There are gray imports. There’s trade with China and India,” a Kremlin insider told Meduza.