"Western and Russian reports of fractures within the Kremlin are gaining traction within the Russian information space, undermining the appearance of stability of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime," the ISW said in its latest analysis of the war in Ukraine.
It cited a report by The Washington Post according to which US intelligence have obtained information that a member of Putin’s inner circle directly criticized Putin’s “extensive military shortcomings” during the war in Ukraine, "and other Western and Kremlin-affiliated officials noted rising criticism of Putin’s mishandling of the war and mobilization."
The ISW reported that "word of fractures within Putin’s inner circle have reached the hyper-patriotic and nationalist milblogger crowd," undermining "the impression of strength and control that Putin has sought to portray throughout his reign."
The presentation of "fundamental disagreements within Putin’s inner circle and challenges to his decisions, even if quiet, within the Russian nationalist space risks depicting Putin as weak and not fully in control of his government," the ISW said.
Saturday is day 227 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Source: PAP, understandingwar.org