The dictator’s regime is approaching its downfall due to economic weakness and a loss of international influence.
Russia is weakening, and Putin cannot stop it / © Associated Press
Russian President Vladimir Putin has indeed driven Russia into a strategic, economic, and political dead end. The war against Ukraine, internal repressions, and economic pressure are gradually altering the logic of the system’s functioning.
This is reported by The Economist.
The war against Ukraine has impacted the global balance. Europe has reduced its dependence on Russian energy resources, and Russia’s role in international institutions is gradually diminishing. Simultaneously, the nuclear factor is being used as a tool of pressure, leading to further international isolation.
The publication highlights four fundamental reasons for the decline:
The Cost of War
The “special operation” model, which did not disrupt the lives of ordinary Russians, has collapsed. Now, the entire country is paying for the dictator’s ambitions through inflation, taxes, and infrastructure damage, without understanding the ultimate goal.
Lack of Rules
Over the past three years, Russia has experienced the largest redistribution of property since the 1990s, with assets worth $60 billion confiscated. Even loyalists desire stable institutions to protect their ill-gotten gains, but Putin offers only the rule of force.
Geopolitical Fiasco
Russia has lost its status as an arbiter. Europe has rejected its gas, and nuclear blackmail has devalued Moscow’s position in the UN Security Council.
Identity Crisis
For centuries, Russia has defined itself through confrontation with the West. Now, this axis has disappeared, and the government cannot offer an internal purpose for its existence.
Recall that in Russia, President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating has fallen to 65.6 percent, the lowest level since the beginning of his military campaign. Meanwhile, it has decreased by 12.2% since the start of the year. Russians are increasingly willing to question the Kremlin dictator’s authority.
The reasons for the “rebellions” against Putin are attributed to the decline of the country’s economy and the lack of progress in the war against Ukraine, which has been ongoing for five years.
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