The liberation of Kherson puts you under great pressure: Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) is trying with all his might to portray the withdrawal from the conquered city as a sober act of military regrouping. Kremlin expert Andrei Piontkowski (82), on the other hand, is convinced that Putin can no longer pull his head out of the noose. Because after this debacle, those who used to be behind him would now turn against him.
Piontkowski is a scientist and journalist who used to head the Moscow think tank Strategic Studies Center. Now he is sure that withdrawing from Kherson means Putin’s downfall. In an interview with the Ukrainian TV channel Freedom, he says: “Now it is clear to every Russian citizen that Russia is losing the war.” Even if the majority of people supported the “special operation”, these decisions would now lead to “shock processes” in people’s consciousness.
This has domestic political implications. According to Piontkowski’s predictions, the Russian population is increasingly divided into two camps. Some hated Putin from the beginning of the invasion for starting an unnecessary war. Those who believe his imperialist propaganda will hate him because he is losing. From Piontkowski’s point of view, both camps are united by a huge anger against the Kremlin boss. “He must now choose whose hatred is more dangerous to him.”
“You don’t last long in a situation like that”
Time and time again, despite defeats, Putin managed to convince his critics and find other scapegoats for mistakes. For example, it was the top military chiefs in Russia who brought the bad news from Kherson to the public on television – not the head of the Kremlin. But former Putin allies, says Piontkowski, are increasingly asking, “Who is to blame? What is this war for?”
The Kremlin expert does not doubt the answers to these questions: “Soon all citizens will hate Putin,” Pionkowski clarifies. The Russian president maneuvered himself into a hopeless situation. “You don’t last long in a situation like that.”
According to Piontkowski, the partial mobilization was a mistake. “25 million Russian conscripts could be thrown into the meat grinder of war,” said the expert. This caused him to lose the trust of many citizens.