Russian President Vladimir Putin “lives in fear for his life“as his army retreats, a senior Ukrainian military aide said, The Independent reported.
Earlier this month, Russia announced its withdrawal from the Kherson region, marking one of Putin’s most embarrassing defeats and a potential turning point in the war, now in its ninth month.
The Loss of Chersonesosthe only regional capital captured by Russia during the conflict, dealt a major blow to plans to create a land corridor to Crimea and ensure a water supply to the Russian-controlled peninsula.
“Putin is very afraid because in Russia there is no forgiveness for tsars who lose warsOleksiy Arestovych, adviser to the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, told the Times.
“Now he is fighting for his life. If he loses the war, at least in the minds of Russians, it means the end. The end of him as a political figure. And probably in a physical sense.”
Ukraine’s victory over Kherson came after a series of humiliating retreats by Kremlin forces in the Kharkiv and Donbass regions. “He forced even people very loyal to Putin have doubtswho can win this war,” Arestovic said.
The liberation of Kherson provoked new Russian attacks on the infrastructure of the country e plans for a new offensive from Belarus, a Russian ally north of Ukraine. Putin’s troops advanced on Kiev from Belarus during the war’s early stages, but were forced to retreat after stiff resistance.
Ukrainian authorities have started evacuating civilians from recently liberated parts of Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, fearing that lack of heating, electricity and water due to Russian shelling will make living conditions too difficult this winter.
This is stated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Millions of people in Ukraine will face “life-threatening” conditions in the coming monthswith residents of the southern regions being urged to relocate to safer areas in the central and western parts of the country.
Arestovich repeats Ukraine’s goal to recapture all land seized by Russia, including Crimeathe Black Sea peninsula which was annexed by the Kremlin in 2014.
Meanwhile Putin this week touted Russia’s arctic might during a flag-raising ceremony and the launching of two nuclear-powered icebreakers that will provide year-round navigation in the western Arctic.
He presides via video link from the Kremlin the ceremony of the release of water in the former imperial capital of St. Petersburg in northern Russia, Putin said such icebreakers are of strategic importance to the country.
“Both icebreakers were installed as part of a large serial project and are part of our systematic large-scale work to re-equip and replenish the national fleet of icebreakers, to strengthen Russia’s status as a major Arctic power,” Putin said.
The Arctic is gaining greater strategic importance due to the climate crisis as the ice cap shrinks it opens up new sea routes. Vast oil and gas resources are found in Russia’s Arctic regions, including a liquefied natural gas plant on the Yamal Peninsula.
Putin smiled as the nuclear-powered icebreaker Yakutia was launched into the water at the dock and stood as Russia’s national anthem honored the raising of the Russian flag on the icebreaker Ural, which is due to enter service in December.
The Russian president also announced it plans to meet the mothers of reservists called up to fight in Ukraine.
The war killed and injured tens of thousands of soldiers on both sidesaccording to the United States, and the Russian invasion caused the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis Mr
The meeting with the mothers of the soldiers, first reported by the newspaper “Vedomosti”, was confirmed by the spokesman of the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov. Russia celebrates Mother’s Day on November 27.
“Such a meeting is indeed planned, we can confirm,” Peskov told reporters when asked if Putin would hold a meeting with the families of the mobilized people. “Such a meeting is being prepared.”
“The president often holds such meetings, not all of them are public. In any case the president gets first-hand information about the real state of affairs,” Peskov commented.
