Russian President Vladimir Putin, increasingly isolated even in his own country, is determined to continue the war in Ukraine, despite the declining economy, well-informed sources told The Guardian.
At the beginning of May, Vladimir Putin arrived at a hotel in the center of Moscow in a Russian-made SUV, casually dressed in jeans and a light jacket. With a bouquet of flowers in his hand, he leisurely stepped into the lobby and embraced his former teacher, Vera Gurevich, who kissed him on both cheeks.
Then he helped Gurevich get into his car and drove her to a dinner at the Kremlin.
This apparent staging took place just a day after several Western newspapers, citing a report from European intelligence services, wrote that Putin is isolating himself in bunkers, fearing he will be assassinated.
The televised meeting was carefully orchestrated to consolidate a completely different image of the Russian leader, one that he has perfected over the 25 years he has been in power: the accessible and confident president, a man of the people who meets with an old teacher.
“Surely there has been a change in the attitude of the elites”
But, although fears of an imminent coup are exaggerated, there is no doubt that Putin is entering the most difficult period of his long reign.
The discussions that the British publication had with several people from the Russian leader’s entourage, as well as sources from the Russian business world and Western intelligence officials, however, outline the image of an isolated leader, surrounded by an elite that is quickly becoming disillusioned, both by the faltering war in Ukraine and the economic recession at home.
“There has certainly been a change in attitude among the elites this year… there is a deep disappointment with Putin,” said a business leader with connections, adding that there is “a growing feeling that some kind of catastrophe is approaching.”
“Nobody believes that everything will collapse suddenly tomorrow”, said the source. “But there is an increasing awareness that completely nonsensical and self-destructive decisions are still being made. People who once defended Putin no longer do. Any sense of the future has disappeared”, he added.
Putin’s popularity rating is declining, the economy is under increasing pressure, and even pro-Kremlin bloggers, who rarely criticized the president, are beginning to express such opinions.
Details, HERE