Putin ‘in trouble’ as ‘anger’ rises among Russians over year-long war

Russia: Vladimir Putin addresses rally in Moscow

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is “in trouble” as his troops failed to make any significant gain on the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, according to an ex-Russian secret services general. Former chief of the Moscow division of the FSB, General Yevgeny Savostyanov, believes the Russian leader is “terribly scared” of mounting “anger” among Russians after his troops have suffered repeated setbacks on the battlefield in recent months. Russian troops appear to remain stalled on the same fighting lines drawn before Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

That realisation has led him to “such a psychological state” that he is “clinging to any opportunity to win”, the former FSB chief added.

He explained: “Putin perfectly understands the mood of people who have lost everything because of him. He understands this anger can find a way out, so he keeps them away.

“Putin is now terribly scared. He understands that he is in trouble.”

The former General said the Russian leader brought the problem upon himself and “ruined himself” with this act of self-harm.

“Now, he is ‘in such a psychological state that he is clinging to any opportunity to win,” the ex-general added.

As the war appears to be stalling at the borders of the Donbas region, it remains unclear how the war could develop in the next few months.

Putin has tried to intensify his military efforts with successive mobilisation orders that have failed to bring about any significant Russian advance.

Putin mobilised 300,000 soldiers from Russia’s large pool of reserve soldiers in September, but more people left in the following months out of fear of being drafted.

According to the state-run news agency RIA Novosti, the population dropped from 146.98 million to 146.42 million by the end of the year, a drop of 555,332.

The Russian leader, who was reportedly told by the FSB that his forces would seize Kyiv in just three days, appeared to be gearing up for a swift military victory.

Before the invasion, Russia controlled about 16,000 square miles of Ukraine, which rose to 62,000 square miles – about 27 percent of the country’s land – in the weeks after the invasion began on February 24, according to charts from the Institute of the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.

However, in the second half of 2022, Ukraine launched a determined counteroffensive that succeeded in regaining about 29,000 square miles by November, including the significant southern city of Kherson. As a result, Russia now controls around 18 percent of the country.

Now, Russia is trying to hold onto the Donbas’ two provinces – Donest and Luhansk – it annexed last September in a move intended to intimidate Western allies.

The tactic failed, with the US, the UK, EU countries and NATO allies redoubling their effort and providing additional support to Ukraine.

On the first anniversary of the war, Western countries and NATO allies reaffirmed their commitment to supplying Ukraine with as much aid as possible in the name of sovereignty and democracy.

While the US announced a $10billion aid package, European countries, including Poland and Sweden, are delivering the Leopard 2 tanks that Volodymyr Zelensky has been requesting to protect his country’s territorial integrity.

Though they still have significant differences, Kyiv and Moscow have welcomed China’s intervention in the peace process.

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The 12-point plan issued by Beijing demands the sovereignty of all countries be respected, ceasing hostilities, abandoning the Cold War mentality and resuming peace talks among other items.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he would like to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Speaking at a news conference in Kyiv, he said: “I believe that would be beneficial for both our states and for the security in the world. China and Ukraine have a lot of trade turnover.”

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