Most ordinary Russians do not realise that Vladimir Putin is dragging their "entire country into a very deep pit", a former Russian diplomat has said.
Boris Bondarev, who was the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN Office in Geneva, said such a realisation is "not yet widespread in the population".
"That's the problem," he told Sky News after being asked what might end the president's time in power.
"If he loses this war, then his rule will be ended sooner," Mr Bondarev said.
"The main threat can come both from his elite, and from the support of this elite from the ordinary people."
The knowledge and perception of ordinary Russians is where those who want to remove Mr Putin - both inside and outside Russia - should be focusing their efforts, Mr Bondarev added.
Turning to the presidential election, he said the Russian president needs a "landslide majority" to present an image of legitimacy.
Mr Putin is likely to declare a majority of about 85%, he calculated.
"The question is whether we can get to know the real results.
"And I hope that some experts, some observers, will help us to know how many real ballots for Putin have been put in the ballot boxes."
