The Hill: Putin's Allies Are Starting To See The Light

Ukrainian drones have dealt Russia not only a military blow but also a blow to its reputation.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has begun to lose credibility among his closest allies, who see Russia’s inability not only to win on the front lines but also to defend its own rear from Ukrainian attacks. This is reported in a column for The Hill, Jonathan Sweet, a former U.S. military intelligence officer, and Mark Tot, a national security expert, write about this.

The authors note that recent weeks have been particularly unsuccessful for the Russian leadership. According to them, the Russian army’s losses continue to rise, while Ukraine is simultaneously increasing pressure on occupied Crimea. The article specifically quotes the reaction of former commander of U.S. Central Command David Petraeus: “Ukraine may be able to isolate the front line, as well as Crimea… Extremely impressive.”

The authors pay particular attention to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory. During the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, drones struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and a naval base in Kronstadt. According to observers, this dealt a serious blow to the Kremlin’s reputation.

Following these attacks, on June 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Putin in an open letter, proposing an immediate ceasefire along the current front line and a face-to-face meeting in a third country to end the war. In the letter, Zelenskyy also warned the Kremlin about the consequences of prolonging the war: “When Russia grows tired, change will begin.” However, the Russian leader rejected both the proposal and the warning.

Shortly thereafter, Ukrainian drones once again penetrated Russia’s air defense system and attacked an oil refinery in Moscow operated by Gazprom Neft. Commenting on the strike, Zelenskyy called it “a just response to Russian attacks and the Kremlin’s prolongation of the war.”

As the authors of the article note, against this backdrop, Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko, is adopting an increasingly cautious stance. Despite statements about maintaining military cooperation with Russia, he has recently resisted sending Belarusian troops to fight in the war against Ukraine and has publicly acknowledged his country’s vulnerability to a response from Kyiv.

The column’s authors conclude that setbacks on the front lines and strikes on Russian territory have already opened the eyes of Putin’s closest allies.

“Even Lukashenko senses that his overlord is in trouble. Putin is no longer capable of defending his own airspace, and he will not come to the defense of his allies. He has gone from demonstrating strength and power to becoming a grandfather hiding in his bunker,” the authors of the article conclude.

You can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail charter97@gmail.com