There are rumblings in Russia’s Kremlin circles. After the heavy defeat in eastern Ukraine, many are demanding clear consequences. But so far the man at the top has remained silent.
It took more than half a year, but in the meantime many people in Moscow also feel at war. Since the invasion of neighboring Ukraine ordered by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin at the end of February, there has only been one “military special operation” been the talk of always everything “according to plan” ran. And so the Russian Ministry of Defense made every effort last weekend to describe the withdrawal of its own troops from the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv as strategic “regrouping” to represent. Only: The thing with the appeasement didn’t really work this time.
Of a “hard day” was the first reaction on Russia’s state television. The head of Chechnya, who is actually loyal to Putin, Ramzan Kadyrov, scolded after the successful Ukrainian counter-offensive “mistake” the leadership in Moscow. Nationalist military bloggers and war correspondents spoke of one “disaster” and “huge losses” – and expect consequences. In the first session of parliament after the summer break, the question of how to proceed in Ukraine was also an issue in the middle of the week.
“Special operation has turned into war”
“In my view, over the past two months, the special operation in Ukraine and Donbass has turned into a war”said the party leader of the communists, who are considered to be close to the Kremlin on central issues, Gennady Zyuganov – and promptly made it onto the front page of the important daily newspaper on Wednesday “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”. “The Americans, united Europe and NATO have declared this war on us.”
Zyuganov’s party colleague Mikhail Matveyev caused a stir by saying that leading Russian politicians would have to recover after such a debacle “actually shoot them yourself or at least volunteer for the front”. Duma deputy Mikhail Sheremet, himself a member of the Kremlin party United Russia, advocated a general mobilization of the armed forces, without which Moscow’s goals in Ukraine could no longer be achieved.
Alexander Khodakovsky, a commander of the Moscow-led separatists, argued that a measure so unpopular with the population as mobilizing reservists would shake Russia so badly that “that it won’t stand up to it”. The 49-year-old wrote that it is not primarily more fighters that are needed, but better leadership and organization of the operation. He also called for the Russian economy to be more war-oriented. Other observers insisted on the resignation of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Kremlin chief Putin remains silent on Ukraine’s counteroffensive
In view of the great resentment, even the Kremlin seemed compelled to put the biggest agitators in their place. Of course, critical points of view are part of the pluralism of opinion, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “But the line is very, very thin.” In addition, there was no question of a military mobilization, he assured – “at the moment”.
The journalists from Peskov wanted to know what President Putin thought of the latest developments. The head of the Kremlin himself has so far remained silent “regrouping” his troops in eastern Ukraine. On the day the Russian soldiers left Kharkiv in a hurry, Putin inaugurated a particularly huge Ferris wheel in Moscow, which broke down just a day later, much to the amusement of his political opponents.
So how will Russia’s leadership proceed now? The Kremlin spokesman was tight-lipped: Putin would of course be informed about all military developments, Peskov said only. And so the rumor mill continues.
Russia: MPs ask Putin to resign
The mantra that is now emphatically recited “There is no war with Ukraine, but a war with the collective West” On the one hand, allow the Kremlin to cushion the shame of the defeat, says political scientist Abbas Galliamov. At the same time, he makes it clear that this could result in a completely different reaction from the broader population than in circles close to the Kremlin: namely, that the desire for peace negotiations could grow – and resistance to mobilization. “After all, the Russians braced themselves for a short-term and victorious special operation, not a long and bloody slaughter”writes the scientist.
While many in Russia are eagerly awaiting a decision from Putin, a small group of local politicians who are critical of the war are trying to get rid of the Kremlin boss himself. In a very politely worded letter, they ask Putin to resign – at least you can try. “Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich”the open letter from the deputies of Moscow’s Lomonosov district says: “You had good reforms in the first and partly in the second term, but after that everything somehow went wrong.”
Source: Stern
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