Vladimir Putin would have possibly revealed one of the main contenders for his seat as he works to involve the expansion of the Ukrainian incursion into Russia.
This week, Russia appointed former bodyguard Alexei Dumin to head the operation to halt Ukraine’s advance in the Kursk region.
This new role may see Dyumin “cement his political future,” according to foreign security expert Stefan Wolff.
In an investigative article for the Asia Times, Wolff noted that Dyumin had not only played a key role in protecting Putin, making him very close to the president, but had also served as deputy head of Russian army intelligence, the GRU. , as well as deputy minister of defense.
The University of Birmingham academic noted that Dyumin’s decision to lead an operation like the Kursk counteroffensive highlights “Putin’s lack of confidence in his army’s leadership to get the job done. “
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He wrote: “Dyumin’s handling of this crisis may boost or end his rise within the Russian political elite.
“If he succeeds, he could cement his prestige as a candidate to succeed Putin. “
Putin will be dealing with a plentiful public relations nightmare, whether or not Dyumin succeeds.
The current excursion has exposed a serious weakness in the Russian army’s functions on the border and represents an “undeniable failure” for Putin and his army, Wolff added.
Adding to this tension is the complaint of evacuees from the Kursk region about the lack of an official evacuation plan, which has forced them to leave their homes, without documents or belongings.
This reaction led an army commander to call for Putin’s prompt resignation from his most sensible post.
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Georgy Zakrevsky, the founder of the Paladin militia, launched a scathing attack on the Russian leader, blaming him for the Russian army’s failures.
He said: “Our country is just on the verge of the crisis or is already right next to it, our country is already in trouble, in wonderful difficulties.
“The drones fly over all of central Russia, such as Moscow and St. Petersburg. They even attacked the Kremlin. Our Black Sea Fleet is expelled. It is expelled as if we were not a wonderful force with a giant fleet. But a third-rate country.
“Our aviation almost does not function because it is also being expelled. We are located in the same positions that we occupied more than two years ago, and partly in those to which we retreated. “
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