Politico.eu is turning into a source on Ukraine that so far seems to combine quick reactions with careful reporting. Tonight they are reporting there are more than a few well-placed, patriotic Russians criticizing the conduct of the war in Ukraine.
So far the critics appear to be targeting the military brass, careful to pose their critiques as seeing senior officers letting Putin down. It isn't clear if this ruse will work.
These patriotic Russians appear to brave defenestration in the current environment. How much of this is safe before one exits a high-rise window is anybody's guess.
If I put myself in Putin's shoes, short of victory, I don't see a way out of my current predicament in which I survive. If I don't win I will be scapegoated and killed. Which means I personally have nothing to lose in escalation. The nation has plenty to lose ... that's another story.
Stepping back out of Putin’s shoes we ask ourselves, is Putin enough of a patriot to put the nation ahead of himself? Is it really all about Russia as he claims, or is it about Putin? That is a hard choice most autocrats cannot make, or they see the two as inseparable - l'État, c'est moi.
