The Russian army is suffering crushing defeats in the war against Ukraine, and the “strategic allies” of the dictatorship refuse to support it. Dictator Vladimir Putin’s plans for 2022 did not go as he expected, and the year ended for him with even greater setbacks, writes Newsweek.
“One example is the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) at the end of November, which brought together six former Soviet republics. The meeting took place in Armenia, whose Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan openly criticized the CSTO and also refused to sign the summit declaration. Various media also drew attention to the fact that Pashinyan moved away from Putin during a group photo of the CSTO leaders.
The other day, Pashinyan attended another meeting of the former Soviet republics - the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) - in St. Petersburg, which, as they say, was more cordial. This potential rift with an ally comes as more people in Russia question the war in Ukraine.”
When Putin launched his invasion in late February, many analysts expected his troops to win a quick victory over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s defense forces.
“However, with the help of Western supplies, Ukraine surprised Russia with its military and inflicted numerous defeats on the battlefield. At the end of the year, the road gave another potential sign of how bad the war is going for Russia when he canceled his annual wrap-up press conference. The cancellation of the event - for the first time in 10 years - has led to speculation that Putin did not want to answer journalists’ questions about Ukraine.”
On New Year’s Eve, The Washington Post published a lengthy article detailing the divisions the path faced within Russia. The article says Putin “looks more isolated than ever” as many in the Russian elite are unhappy with the direction of the war. The elite is said to be divided between those who support the escalation against Ukraine and those who prefer the ways to stop the offensive. WP also reports that there is a growing perception in Russia that the war in Ukraine has rejected the country back in terms of financial partnership.
While Putin still enjoys the support of Belarus and Iran, other leaders who have traditionally worked with Russia are expressing their dissatisfaction with the war. Chinese leader Xi Jinping also said in September that he had “questions and concerns” about the war. During a virtual meeting with Putin on Dec. 30, Xi Jinping said China and Russia should “strengthen strategic coordination” but made no mention of Ukraine.
“China is not going to turn its neck. They are not going to do much to help Russia with sanctions or military goods.” Michael Kimmage, professor of history at the Catholic University of America and a former member of the secretary of state’s policy planning staff at the State Department, told Newsweek.
Kimmage added: “But at the same time, China does not like this war. I think there are many ways it is destroying China’s economic plans. Yet even with his current problems, Putin still retains a lot of power. The Russian population largely supports the war, and Russia is floundering economically. Putin doesn’t know how to win the war, but he certainly knows how to keep control of Moscow.”
Earlier, the director of the Institute for the Transformation of Society, economist and political scientist Oleg Soskin predicted the problems of the aggressor country in 2023.
See also: “Patriots” are beginning to realize that all these years they have been deceived: Russian political scientist
Source: Fakty
