Whether Putin can find a way out of this dilemma will probably be crucial.
In a recent report on Russia, Mr. Reynolds and Dr. Jack Watling, a senior fellow, suggested that May 9, when Russia celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany, could be used as a moment to rhetorically transform the invasion into a war. . to stimulate wider mobilization ”and to prepare the Russian population for a long struggle.
The true level of support for the war in Russia is almost impossible to assess, but is probably reinforced by propaganda claims that it is only a special operation.
Dismantling this lie could be politically charged, as may attempts to formally recruit troops and reserves. Mr Putin has already ordered an “investigation” into how the military ended up at the front earlier in the conflict.
In any case, as Mr Reynolds told The Telegraph, Russia has “gotten into a corner” with its extreme rhetoric about denazification and de-Ukrainisation. Kyiv’s relative success and Russia’s apparent war crimes and the cleansing of the Ukrainian population in the occupied territories mean that it also has little incentive to seek peace.
Add Comment