Vladimir Putin’s disastrous war has torn Russia apart, at least financially speaking, and it looks like the same is about to happen for the Russian president’s remaining allies. He’s already been the subject of a reported plot by his inner circle, who have been planning for his succession. And his soldiers sure don’t want to keep risking life and limb, even though an astounding number of them continue to perish as this dismal war drags on. The war began in late February, but before long, as a whistleblower revealed to Newsweek, infighting in Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) began, and there’s no signs of it slowing down. In fact, it’s getting worse.
The report seems like a natural progression from word that Putin’s inner circle has privately admitted that the war is already an embarrassing loss, and now, an agent that identifies as Wind Of Change (you can hear that Scorpions song in your head, right?) has passed on correspondence to Vladimir Osechkin, a Russian dissident, who relays letters that began early March and grew more grave in tone through November. Via Newsweek, here a detailing of the devolution, including how war-weary Russians will soon “descend into the abyss of terror” and more:
“Believe me–that is far more terrifying. I assert, and this is by no means the solitary private opinion of one simple (FSB) employee: we have f***ed up the country. We (FSB) screwed up the country not on February 24, when this whole affair began, but much earlier, when February 24 became possible in principle.”
“Chaos, civil war, collapse–yes, it’s all ahead of us. It is inevitable,” the FSB agent said. “Too many in Russia have crossed the point of no return. They plan to be little czars in the areas they manage to capture. At least, that’s the way they are thinking.”
This kind of talk actually seems tame if one considers the carnage that’s taking place in Ukraine. Even after Putin’s massive draft, companies are running at staggeringly low numbers and don’t even have access to medical care to treat their injuries. Tampons are pretty much the extent of bullet hole treatment, and it truly seems like only a matter of time before the army fully folds, no matter what Putin orders them to do. Sure, he can send in private mercenaries (as he’s already been doing), but if his allies fully turn on him, he’ll be cornered and talking about nukes again until he’s removed from power.
(Via Newsweek)