Putin Is Losing the Last Remnants of His Aura of Infallibility Along with His Grip on Reality
Against the backdrop of repeated strikes on oil refineries, Crimea's increasing isolation, and a fuel crisis spreading across Russia, Vladimir Putin continues to display a remarkable ability to ignore developments that, until recently, he himself would have described as direct threats to Russia's national security. Each of these challenges falls squarely within the scope of Russia's Military Doctrine, the Law on Defense, and the revised nuclear deterrence policy adopted at the end of 2024.
The Alarm Bells Are Ringing Despite the Official Calm
Yet instead of emergency meetings of the Security Council, stern statements from the Ministry of Defense, or even the State Duma's customary displays of indignation, there is silence. The only official response has been the familiar refrain that "the situation is under control," accompanied by claims that Russia's enemies are merely trying to "destabilize Russian society."
Putin himself has gone no further than claiming that Ukraine is attempting to create problems for Russia's energy sector and spoil the country's tourist season. He instructed the government and the military to "minimize the consequences" and promised to strengthen the country's air defenses.
