Putin has alienated some of his top Russian officials since the early stages of the Ukraine invasion: report
According to Russian journalist Farida Rustamova, Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has alienated some of his top military officials, causing them to grow increasingly worried as the Russian military continues to meet fierce resistance of Ukrainians.
"In reality, the attitude toward the war within the corridors of power is ambiguous," Rustamova wrote. "I came to this conclusion after speaking with several members of parliament and officials at various levels. Many of them are discouraged, frightened, and are making apocalyptic forecasts."
"No one is rejoicing," a source described as "close to the Kremlin" said Rustamova, whose words were translated by Ilya Lozovsky. "Many understand that this is a mistake, but in the course of doing their duty they come up with explanations in order to somehow come to terms with it."
"Some officials aren't associating themselves with what's happening at all, viewing Putin's decision as a historical choice over which they have no influence, and the meaning of which no one will understand for a some time to come," Rustamova wrote.
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Insider reports that another source claims that Kremlin officials are "carefully enunciating the word clusterf*ck" when describing the invasion.
According to Rustamova, only Putin's "narrowest circle" are fully informed of his plans in Ukraine.
"For example, the head of the presidential administration Anton Vaino, whose role, unlike his more influential predecessors, is more akin to a private secretary, is not informed about such decisions, my sources say," Rustamova writes.