EPAPresident Putin has vowed to “power the enemy from Russian territory”Kursk.It is among the first phrases I wrote and spoke as a BBC correspondent.In 2000, I reported at the sinking of the Kursk submarine within the icy waters of the Barents Sea. 100 and eighteen submariners had been killed.Vladimir Putin were president for lower than half of a 12 months. I will nonetheless have in mind Russian TV channels slamming him over his dealing with of the crisis.This week marked 24 years since Okay-141 Kursk sank. And, as soon as once more, the phrase Kursk is filling my despatches from Russia. This time Kursk Area, the place Ukrainian troops introduced their wonder incursion and the place they’ve been seizing territory for 9 days now.Similar phrase.However Russia 2024 could be very other from Russia 2000.
Getty ImagesThe sinking of the Kursk submarine in 2000 was once a big problem in Vladimir Putin’s first 12 months as presidentThis time on Russian TV there’s no trace of grievance of President Putin; no casting doubt on his decision-making; no recommendation that it’s his invasion of Ukraine that has ended in this dramatic second. On the other hand, the Kremlin has had 1 / 4 of a century to determine tight regulate over the Russian media and the messaging.Even so, will those occasions injury Vladimir Putin?It’s a query I’ve been requested again and again over the past two-and-a-half years:In 2022 when Ukraine sank the warship Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleetagain a couple of months later after Russian troops’ lightning retreat from north-eastern Ukraineand once more in 2023 all through the Wagner mutiny, when armed mercenaries had been marching on Moscow – a right away problem to Vladimir Putin’s authority.President Putin were given via all of that, it seems that unscathed. He’s going to be assured he can triumph over this newest problem.However right here’s the article. The Wagner mutiny was once over in an afternoon. Ukraine’s offensive inside of Russia has been occurring for greater than per week. The longer it continues, the better the force can be at the Russian management and, probably, the better the wear to President Putin’s authority.
Thru his two and a half of a long time in energy, Mr Putin has cultivated the picture of “Mr Safety”, the one guy on this huge nation in a position to retaining Russians secure and protected. His so-called “particular army operation” (the full-scale invasion of Ukraine) was once introduced to the Russian other folks as some way of boosting Russia’s nationwide safety.Two and a half of years into this struggle there isn’t a lot signal right here of “secure and protected”. There’s extra Nato on Russia’s borders, with Sweden and Finland having joined the Nato Alliance; Russian cities are coming underneath common Ukrainian drone assault; now Ukrainian infantrymen are seizing Russian territory.Thru his selection of language, Vladimir Putin is making an attempt to turn the Russian public that there’s no wish to panic. When regarding the Ukrainian incursion he has have shyed away from the usage of the phrase “invasion”. As an alternative, he has spoken of “the placement within the border house” or “the occasions which might be happening”. The Kremlin chief has also known as the Ukrainian offensive “a provocation”.What is going to the Russian president do subsequent?Don’t be expecting him to pick out up the telephone and contact Kyiv. Russian officers have made it transparent that, following the Ukrainian assault, they’re striking the very concept of peace talks on grasp. No longer that any large-scale negotiation were scheduled to happen.Actually, this week Vladimir Putin chief introduced precisely what his goal is: “…to power the enemy from Russian territory.”It’s something announcing it. It’s every other factor doing it. In spite of deploying reinforcements to the Kursk area, the Russian army has but to regain regulate on this a part of Russia.
ReutersUkraine’s offensive inside of Russia has entered its 2nd weekAs I used to be strolling previous the Kremlin on Thursday morning, I finished in my tracks.As employees had been putting in place seating and monitors for an match, Edith Piaf’s vintage Non, je ne regrette rien (No, I feel sorry about not anything) was once taking part in on a big video display screen and echoing throughout Purple Sq..It was once an overly surreal second.Vladimir Putin has proven no signal of feel sorry about for having introduced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.No feel sorry about for the choices he has taken since.If his public statements mirror his present way of thinking, he nonetheless believes there is just one conceivable result of this struggle: Russia’s victory.
