Putin faces growing anger as ‘disappointed’ Russian elite wants Ukraine war to end soon | World | News
Vladimir Putin is reportedly facing growing anger from Russia’s elite, who want the war in Ukraine to end.
People at the top of the country’s society are also worried about the Russian economy, it is believed, as Western sanctions take their toll.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has mentioned in its daily report of the conflict for January 9 that elites and high-ranking security officials are believed to be “frustrated” with Putin’s efforts to wage a full-scale war in Ukraine with “half measures”.
They are also said to be “increasingly concerned” with the President’s timeline to end the war.
Sources in the Russian presidential administration, State Duma, and wider federal government and regional governments told the Russian opposition media outlet Meduza that elites are increasingly “disappointed” and “tired” of waiting for the war to end.
They are also growing “increasingly concerned” about the long-term impact of Western sanctions, it has been reported.
A chief concern is said to be that Russia does not have enough manpower and materiel to conduct the war. Some are thought to believe that Putin needs to conduct “mobilisation”, and completely transition Russian society and economy to a “wartime footing”.
High-ranking Russian security officials also appear to be assessing that the country needs to “intensify” its war in Ukraine rather than seek an exit via negotiations.
Meduza’s report suggests that Russian security and military officials may recognise that the Russian military is “not accomplishing significant territorial gains proportionate to the manpower”.
The ISW reports that the Russian military command has, thus far, tolerated taking “exorbitant” personnel losses in exchange for tactically, but not operationally significant advances, and Putin’s theory of victory is predicated on accepting such losses as long as his forces continue to “grind forward” in Ukraine.
Experts added: “ISW continues to assess that Putin is resistant to conducting a partial involuntary reserve callup or further mobilizing the Russian economy, as such decisions would be deeply unpopular among Russians and would further strain Russia‘s labor shortages and economy.
“It remains unclear if this group of Russian security and military officials calling for further manpower and economic mobilization will succeed in convincing Putin to take more dramatic measures to meet the Russian military’s needs in Ukraine, although mounting personnel losses and increasing challenges in meeting voluntary recruitment targets may cause Putin to conduct an involuntary partial reserve callup in the near future.”
