Russia's war in ukraine turns against putin's grip on power
Russia's annual Victory Day parade, meant to honor its sacrifices in World War II, instead became a grim symbol of Vladimir Putin's floundering invasion of Ukraine. The president's military gambit, launched with confidence in February 2022, has ground to a halt, with his forces losing more territory this year than they gained in April alone.
Putin's war effort falters amid unrelenting drone attacks
Despite Putin's boasts about Russian troops pushing ahead on all fronts, even pro-war military bloggers are now publicly criticizing the military's mismanagement. Some warn that the momentum has shifted in favor of Ukraine, with the potential for Russia to lose the war entirely. With an estimated 1.3 million Russian troops dead or wounded, and ordinary Russians facing increasing economic pressure, the conflict Putin believed would cement his legacy may ultimately prove his undoing.
Ukraine's relentless drone campaign has severely disrupted Russia's efforts, forcing Putin to scale back the Victory Day parade. In a phone call with former President Donald Trump in April, Putin even floated the idea of a three-day ceasefire from May 9 to avoid the humiliation of a Ukrainian attack on Red Square. While Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted the proposal, he exempted Red Square from attack, leaving Putin to face the embarrassing prospect of a parade marred by drones.
Russia's war weighs heavily on economy and public opinion
The war has severely battered Russia's economy, with the military's massive appetite for manpower creating an acute labor shortage. This has driven up the unemployment rate to 2.2% in March, while slowing economic growth and raising inflation as companies compete for workers. Nearly two-thirds of Russia's small businesses, already reeling from tax hikes, failed to turn a profit in the first quarter of this year.
As the war drags on, the Kremlin has tightened security around Putin, curtailed his travel within the country, and even demolished and rebuilt his Black Sea residence, Bocharov Ruchey, with added security measures. Putin hasn't visited frontline soldiers since March last year, and the government has clamped down on social media, restricting access to popular platforms like Telegram.
Even stalwart Putin supporters, like Communist party chief Gennady Zyuganov, are expressing concerns, warning of the example of 1917, when wartime strains sparked two revolutions. As Ukraine continues to gain ground and Russia's losses mount, the signs of disquiet within the Kremlin are growing, casting doubt on Putin's ability to turn the tide of the war.