Russian elites close to Vladimir Putin have revised their attitude to war in Ukraine. The initial uncertainty about the correctness of the country's leader through international sanctions has changed to conflict. It is noted that some representatives of the elites believe that Putin will reach his goals and stop, while others claim that he can expand his hostilities to Kiev and even NATO countries.
This was reported by Russian journalist and military analyst Mikhail Zigar in Foreign Affairs. He noted that the initial shock among the Russian elites at the beginning of the war turned into adopting this situation as an integral part of their lives. "The Russian elites have stopped worrying about the conflict. They came to the conclusion that even if they did not support the invasion, they consider it a necessary fact," Zigar said.
Most elites close to the Russian dictator believe that the war in Ukraine is only the beginning of broader actions. They claim that Vladimir Putin may not have enough victory on the battlefield, and he can again target his hand at Kiev, and then expand the attacks on NATO countries. According to analyst Michael Zigar, the President of the Russian Federation can try to defeat "his true enemies in Brussels and Washington."
The analyst also noted that according to the elite statements, the most likely target for further attacks may be Estonia or Latvia, where a significant number of Russians live. This can be a script that Putin has already tested in the past. Obviously, this will cause the NATO reaction that includes these countries and will be a serious test for the Alliance, whether it is ready to risk the New World War.
"Some argue that Putin is more important for confrontation with the West than a victory in Ukraine, and it can apply such an approach with an attack on another European state, regardless of the further development of the current conflict," the analyst added.
It is noted that the Russian elite is not afraid of nuclear conflict, believing that NATO will not dare to use such weapons and will not even be able to effectively respond to the invasion of Europe.
"They watch the event tired and disconnect, which makes it less interested in confronting Russia. They evaluate US President Joe Baiden and European leaders as weak. In such a context, they doubt that NATO will be able to unite to protect the attacked country," the author emphasized.
Some members of Putin even stated that the dictator would fight until he could because the war meets his political interests.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, having just advanced the conditions for peace talks, announced that almost 700,000 Russian servicemen operated in Ukraine. In recent months, Russia's strengthening of the system of troops for active offensive operations and mobilizing reserves at operational and strategic levels.
Despite the propaganda statements about "successes" in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin began another round of nuclear blackmail. He announced the restoration of short and medium -range nuclear missiles, which was prohibited by agreements between Russia and the United States.
At the same time, the adviser to the Presidential Office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak stated that the threat of nuclear attack by Russia is unlikely. According to him, Putin's regime can collapse when internal contradictions in the country begin to deepen, and the dictator will not be able to withstand negative social moods.
