The Economist: Putin Told His Inner Circle That He Would Be Hanged

The Kremlin's unwillingness to back down stems from Russia's criminal policies.

On August 29, speaking to faculty and students at a Moscow university, Putin stated that orcas feed on polar bears. “That’s the food chain,” — said the Russian president, adding that children need to be taught this “so that they understand what kind of world we live in and why we are conducting a special military operation”—which is how the Kremlin refers to the war against Ukraine, writes The Economist.

The statement is a fabrication; there are no known cases of an orca eating a polar bear. However, it reveals the predatory logic of the Russian president.

Russia has been unable to make significant progress on the front lines for several years now, and the war is increasingly turning into a devastating standoff between drones and missiles. At the same time, Putin shows no willingness to back down. The West fears that he will attempt to break the deadlock through further escalation.
Signs of alarm are already visible. On August 25, CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unexpected visit to Moscow. According to one account, he may have warned Putin about the consequences of an attack on NATO countries. A few days later, Finland asked Sweden to step up surveillance along its border with Russia. Germany is preparing to hold Moscow responsible for a drone attack at Leipzig Airport, while Romania reported the destruction of a Russian maritime drone.

Meanwhile, Putin has made it clear that he has no intention of ending the war. Following Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and logistics facilities, he promised a “retaliatory strike against the most vulnerable sectors of your economy.” “The special military operation continues. We will only move forward,” the president declared.
Sources close to the Kremlin believe that, after several weeks of deliberation, Putin may have opted for further escalation. One of his longtime allies claims that the Russian leader perceives the West’s attempts to negotiate as a sign of weakness.
“The main reason for continuing the war is linked to Putin’s own hold on power. Anxiety is growing in the Kremlin over deteriorating public sentiment and among the elites,” the publication writes. According to the Levada Center, 57% of Russians describe the situation in the country as “tense.”

Putin likely fears that ending the war without capturing the entire Donbas will be perceived as a defeat. “They’ll hang me,” he told his inner circle, according to one insider.

Therefore, the Kremlin may intensify its attacks on Ukraine, step up military conscription, and increase repression within Russia. However, such a strategy will not solve the country’s problems but will only increase the suffering of the population and the risk of new instability.

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