The string of suspicious deaths — Alexey Navalny and the Russian pilot who defected with a Mi-8 helicopter — show power and weakness.
  • Vladimir Putin is racking up a string of strongman wins, including the death of opposition leader Alexey Navalny.
  • But Putin’s brazen displays of power highlight the weakness of his regime, experts said.
  • Going after his opponents is par for the course for Putin.