Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has lasted for almost two months, but strong opposition from Ukrainian forces has put a stop to President Vladimir Putin.
At the end of March, Russia announced a change of line in the Russian strategy, and Putin’s alleged goal of taking control of the country and deploying a pro-Russian regime in the capital, Kyiv, was put on hold. Instead, the main focus was on the Donbas region, but after another four weeks, the Russians have made only small progress.
This indicates that things are not going according to plan.
– He is very, very angry, says author and Russia expert, Vera Efron, about the Russian president.
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– Betrayed
After Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Putin has withdrawn more and more. It is usually Kremlin spokesmen who provide updates on the war, and no one knows for sure where the president really is.
But according to Efron, he is not particularly happy during the day.
– He feels betrayed from all sides. He probably feels very, very let down, says Efron to the Swedish newspaper Expressen.
The Russia expert does not elaborate on what she is aiming for, but there is reason to believe that it has something to do with the invasion’s progress and the world’s reactions to the war.
Must show “Moscow” last hours
In addition to being met with strong opposition on Ukrainian soil, Putin is also said to have been met with opposition from his Kremlin colleagues.
Already at the beginning of March, it was claimed that there was smoldering in the circle around the president, and that parts of the Russian government were critical of the war.
Very few dare to stand up to Putin, but dissidents in the Kremlin refer to the invasion as “a fucking mess” in discreet, internal conversations, it was said in a report which allegedly described the mood in the Kremlin the first time after the invasion.
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It has since been rumored that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who has been the president’s right-hand man since 2004, has reportedly had enough of being the “Kremlin watchdog”. It has also been claimed on several occasions that it Russian power elite is reportedly planning a coup.
Putin has not commented on the rumors about the internal unrest in the Kremlin.
Russia is mocked after defeat
– Misjudged
The outside world was also very quick to impose heavy sanctions on Russia, Putin and his allies after the invasion of Ukraine.
It should have come as a surprise to the Russian president, according to Efron.
– He never thought that Europe would resist. He thought that everyone was dependent on Russian oil and gas, and that everyone would sit on their own two feet and look after their own interests, she tells Expressen and adds:
– But now, when the whole of Europe together goes against him, you see that he is very, very angry. I see it in the rhetoric, the way he walks, the facial expressions and the expression.
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