Russian Elite Increasingly War-Weary... "Doubts About Putin's Control"

Canadian Prime Minister Visits Kyiv to Provide Additional Military Support

Tensions and war fatigue are rising among Russia's elite due to Ukraine's counteroffensive, reportedly shaking Russian President Vladimir Putin's political standing within the country.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 10th (local time), the Washington Post (WP) cited sources inside Russia, reporting that there is growing anxiety among Russia's elite over the firepower of Western weapons possessed by Ukraine.

They are said to fear that if the land bridge between mainland Russia and the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula is cut off, it could cause significant military damage and a blow to morale in Russia.

Some Russian elites are increasingly doubting President Putin's ability to control the situation as infighting among war commanders, drone attacks on Moscow, and armed group attacks near the Ukrainian border continue. Notably, on the 30th of last month, a large-scale drone attack in Moscow damaged high-rise apartments and caused injuries.

Regarding this, a source close to the Russian diplomatic community said, "This is a serious challenge to the authorities."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced on the 10th that counteroffensive operations against Russian forces are underway. Recently, fierce battles have taken place in southern Donetsk Oblast and southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast in Ukraine.

WP interpreted remarks by Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma's Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Committee, who holds influence in the Russian parliament, as reflecting the heightened tension among Russia's elite. He pointed out that although Russia launched a special military operation targeting Ukraine, "no results have been achieved."

The West's push for a security agreement with Ukraine is also reported to have lowered morale among Russia's elite. Earlier, NATO foreign ministers focused on discussing Ukraine's security arrangements. On the same day, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, pledging support for F-16 fighter pilot training and providing an additional 500 million Canadian dollars (approximately 480 billion Korean won) in military aid.

Earlier, Bloomberg News in the United States also reported a growing pessimistic atmosphere among Russia's elite regarding the Ukraine war. Bloomberg stated that Russia's political and business elites are hoping for an end to the war due to war fatigue, and even optimistic individuals have begun to prefer a ceasefire rather than victory.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.