Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) switches and governs as he pleases. This is no longer a secret since the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the latest.
Even when his troops were pushed hard, Putin insisted that his troops would not retreat. Such orders in the past have repeatedly given the impression that the Kremlin ruler has only a limited understanding of the realities on the battlefield. But that’s not all: as the “Wall Street Journal” now reports, experts from Russia, the US and Ukraine even claim that Putin’s advisers are sending their boss outdated information about the war in Ukraine.
Highlight successes, downplay failures
In short: Putin does not really know what is going on on the battlefield. This could also explain why the ruler still believes in Russia’s victory in the war in Ukraine, as he announced on Wednesday.
According to the newspaper, interviews with experts have shown that the head of state has only limited knowledge of what is happening at the front. The report is based, among other things, on conversations with current or former Russian officials and people close to the Kremlin. They all describe him as an “isolated” and “suspicious” leader.
For 22 years he has built a system that always flatters him and never criticizes him or his management style. He has gathered advisers who play down defeats and always emphasize successes. Accordingly, discouraging data should be completely withheld or whitewashed.
The Kremlin denies the claims
Still, Putin always wants to be aware of the situation at the front – his daily morning briefing at 07:00 should enable him to do so. According to the newspaper, it should contain outdated information. Certain messages from the front would not reach the Kremlin ruler until days later.
But what is Putin’s entourage afraid of? “People around Putin are protecting themselves,” said Ekaterina Vinokourova, a former member of Putin’s Human Rights Council. According to Vinokorova, Putin’s advisers are convinced not to anger the president.
The Kremlin rejects the experts’ claims. “As in the past, the president has several channels to obtain information,” the Russian government said. (dzc)