Putin makes bold statements, disclosing intriguing details.
Putin has now made the Russian people a part of the war effort, a significant change considering his initial plan was to keep them as far away from the conflict as possible. The Russian president has been talking more and more about the ongoing war.
Previously, Putin's regime had downplayed the attack on Ukraine and only mentioned a "special operation." But during a meeting of the Russian Council for Strategic Development, Putin urged the Russian public to recognize the significance of the current situation. He urged them to "work as if they were at the front" and "feel mobilized."
The U.S. think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that Putin is striving to create a connection to World War II. He likely wants to "probably awaken memories of Soviet victims and the comprehensive social and economic mobilization." Kremlin officials often refer to the Great Fatherland War, or the fight against Nazi Germany, to gain support for Russian military actions.
However, this comparison is misleading. During World War II, the Soviet Union was attacked by Nazi Germany - after they had previously worked together to attack and divide Poland. In contrast, the aggression in the Ukrainian conflict comes from Moscow, with the lie that a Nazi regime is in power in Kiev.
Moscow continues to mobilize its economy
Political scientist Thomas Jaeger draws further conclusions from Putin's statements. "If Putin says that all Russians must work as if they were at the front and that mobilization for the entire country is necessary to achieve the goals, this shows how Russia's fascist system works and also indicates that the war is not going as planned," said a contribution on the platform X.
At the start of the war, Putin believed the Russian population would be indifferent and not hear about the fighting. This expectation was not met. Rather, a fascist Russia poses a different challenge than an authoritarian state. This Russia requires violence both internally and externally.
Putin's statements can also be interpreted as a call for the Russian population to help reinforce the country's economy for a long-term war. This is also suggested by the recent appointment of the new Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, who was previously the Minister for Economic Development. The ISW speculates Russia may be preparing for future confrontations with NATO.
"Putin will likely continue various informational and rhetorical efforts to prepare the Russian population for a stronger economic mobilization if he intends to pursue a long-term, unpopular policy of further economic and social mobilization," writes the ISW.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
In light of the ongoing 'Attack on Ukraine', Vladimir Putin has shifted his strategy, urging the Russian people to participate in the war effort, a stark contrast to his initial plan of keeping civilians distant from the conflict. This comes as Putin increasingly discusses the war situation.
The recent remarks from Vladimir Putin indicate a potential attempt to connect the current situation to World War II, aiming to evoke memories of Soviet victims and comprehensive social and economic mobilization. This comparison, however, is debatable, as Russia is the primary aggressor in the Ukrainian conflict.
Source:
