Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s popularity in Russia is waning. According to British investigative journalist Catherine Belton, the reason for this is the partial mobilization that the Russian president “didn’t really want”. The author and Russia expert explained in the APA interview that at the beginning of the war in Ukraine it was mainly the ethnic minorities of the huge empire that were mobilized, but now young Russians are also being recruited.
According to the author of the bestselling “Putin’s Net”, only older Russians are more willing to go to war. However, they are often poorly trained and not as motivated as their opponents, the Ukrainians, who fight for their country’s freedom. Now that the lives of many Russians are threatened, resistance is growing.
“Corruption and Bad Logistics in the Army”
People now have the option to rise up against the war, protest and possibly go to prison for it, or be sent to Ukraine and eventually die there. The unpopular partial mobilization became necessary as the Russian side suffered increasing losses. Belton spoke of up to 40,000 fallen Russians – she was referring to information from the British Foreign Office. In addition, there are numerous problems in the Russian army, such as corruption, lack of equipment and poor logistics.
FSB “only institution still in operation”
Another problem for the Kremlin is that support from China and India is waning and there are “patriotic forces” within the FSB, the “only institution that still works”, according to Belton, who sees Putin as a growing threat to his country.
There are certainly people there who, after a regime change, could envision renewed cooperation with the West and even greater integration. Many young Russians were also hopeful that relations with Europe and the US would return to normal.
Belton advised against negotiations with Putin “in line with his ideas”. Because it is to be feared that the head of the Kremlin will not fail to make new demands, for example, to the Baltic States or other European territories.