Putin Is Losing Control Of The Elite

In Russia, talk of defeat in the war is growing louder.

In Russia, public criticism of President Vladimir Putin is becoming increasingly common—something that was practically unthinkable until recently. According to The Hill, this is due to mounting economic problems, fuel shortages, rising inflation, attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure, and heavy military losses in the war against Ukraine.

Economist Vladimir Milov, who previously served as Russia’s Deputy Minister of Energy and is now in exile, believes the situation is rapidly deteriorating. According to him, what is happening in Russia right now “is a crisis.”

“What we are seeing now is an extraordinary acceleration in public acknowledgments that we are in trouble,” said the opposition figure.

However, far more telling in this regard are the statements made by influential figures within Putin’s own regime. For example, German Gref, who served as Minister of Economy during Putin’s first two presidential terms and is now the head of the country’s largest bank, Sberbank — and remains one of the most influential figures in the Russian elite — recently spoke openly about the need to end the war.

“I don’t think there’s a single person who cares about anything more right now than ending the hostilities as quickly as possible—that’s obvious,” he said, commenting on Russia’s economic problems.

The Hill notes that Ukraine’s successes in the field of long-range drones and missile technology have become a significant factor putting pressure on the Kremlin. Ukrainian strikes are increasingly hitting targets in occupied Crimea and on Russian territory, inflicting not only material but also psychological damage. Ordinary Russians are feeling the consequences of the war more and more acutely: they face fuel shortages, high prices, and long lines at gas stations, and are forced to cancel their vacations in Crimea.

At the same time, analysts suggest that Putin may be receiving distorted information about the actual situation on the front lines. In particular, there are reports of a leaked map from the Russian Ministry of Defense that marked as “captured” certain settlements that in fact remained under Ukrainian control.

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