@DW2 @sickburnbro keep in mind what happened in the late stage USSR to their leadership. In the early 80s after Breznev died, there was like half a dozen new leaders that replaced him over a period of year or so before they finally settled on the "young" Gorbachev. Their leaders kept dying on them suddenly. Their ruling class was just so old that they couldn't keep anyone alive long enough to do anything.