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Putin’s circle is already discussing his successor, according to an independent Russian media

Today marks three months since the start of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin continues to call a “special military operation.”

According to the independent news website Meduza, citing sources in government circles, in the past three months many representatives of the Russian elite have sometimes changed their attitude towards the war and the situation in the country. According to Meduza sources, within three months Putin managed to turn both the “war party” and those who want peace against him. The Kremlin hopes that “in the foreseeable future” he will leave and chooses a successor.

In early March, the Meduza website reported that the majority of Kremlin and government officials simply did not know what to do and were terrified that the sanctions would affect their lives and careers. Shortly afterwards, the “patriotic uprising” began, while in April many in power called for the war to continue “until the final victory”.

In general, writes Meduza, pessimism prevails in assessing the situation. “It will not be possible to live like before. We can not even talk about growth. But somehow we can live, with moderate imports, trading with China and India,” some said, according to a source close to the website. government. At the moment, many representatives of the elites, both those who support the continuation of the war and the supporters of peace, are not personally satisfied with President Vladimir Putin.

Representatives of the business world and a number of members of the government “are not satisfied with the fact that the president started the war without considering the size of the sanctions.”

There are those who are unhappy with the pace at which the “special military operation” is being conducted and insist on more decisive action in the war, arguing that broad mobilization must continue and that the war must continue “until victory”.

According to sources quoted by Meduza, the Kremlin is not ready for a general mobilization because this idea is not popular in society. Proponents of immediate peace-building are pointing to the problems that have arisen in the economy, which they say will worsen over time.

Sources on the Russian website also claim that the issue of “Putin’s successor” is being discussed more and more often in the highest echelons of power. There is no talk of a conspiracy against the president, “but there is an understanding or a desire that in a fairly visible perspective he should not run the state himself.”

Among the names being discussed, which some officials say could be “reconciled with the West”, are Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev and its first deputy. presidency of Sergei Kiriyenko.

Asked how long the “special military operation” would last, Russia’s Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said Russia was “in no hurry to meet the deadlines” and reiterated that “All the goals set by the president will be achieved.”

At the same time, he emphasized the so-called de-Nazification. Other goals set by Putin at the start of the war include the “demilitarization” of Ukraine, as well as the recognition of the independence of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics and the annexation of Crimea. According to Patrushev, “the fate of Ukraine will be determined by the people living on its territory.” However, he did not specify what Patrushev had in mind in practice.

Patrushev also said that state subsidies for the creation of “patriotic content” of works and films would be increased.

In the three months of hostilities, Russia has taken control of parts of southern Ukraine, as well as parts of Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk. The area of ​​Kherson and the large city of Mariupol, which has been completely destroyed, came under Russian control. Russian forces retreated from Kyiv.

During the war thousands have lost their lives and according to some sources, tens of thousands of civilians. Ukraine claims that the Russian military has committed heaps of war crimes, which will be investigated by the International Criminal Court.

It is noted that the site https://meduza.io/ has been included in the media – “foreign agent” and has been blocked in Russia.

Source: AMPE

Source: Capital

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