Russian President Vladimir Putin fears for his own security if he stops the war in Ukraine. The Russian leader would at least like to conquer the entire Donbas region, writes The Economist, quoted by the Russian opposition press.
Journalists refer to people from the entourage of the Kremlin leader. According to the publication, Putin would have said at one point to those close to him: “They will hang me.” The context in which the statement was made is not known.
Among the Russian elite, the mood seems to be gloomy, according to hotnews.ro. The biggest problem for Putin is not so much the state of the economy or the lack of military successes, but the failure he cannot hide.
At the same time, the leadership in Moscow believes that the war cannot be left in its current state, but the way military actions in Ukraine are perceived within Russia matters now. Consequently, the Kremlin might resort to escalation, hybrid attacks, and sabotage against Ukraine’s partners.
Among the hypotheses is the possibility that Russia could attack European factories that produce weapons and military equipment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, even though some sources within the intelligence services believe that Putin does not want a direct military confrontation with NATO.