The independent Russian outlet Verstka reported on Friday that concern is growing among mid-level Kremlin officials about the stability of Vladimir Putin’s system of rule. Faced with declining approval ratings and a stalled war of aggression against Ukraine, many functionaries are expressing deep pessimism in private.
“Everyone understands that the system has no future, and everyone talks about it among themselves,” Verstka quoted an employee of the Russian Presidential Administration as saying. “But no one goes beyond mere acknowledgment,” the source added. The growing discontent has so far remained without consequences.
While Putin’s inner circle still feels relatively secure, lower-ranking functionaries increasingly fear the consequences of a possible collapse of the state leadership. “If Putin’s power collapses, there is no future for us,” a Russian official told the outlet.
The report paints a picture of a growing crisis within the Russian state apparatus, further exacerbated by the costly war in Ukraine and the economic impact of Western sanctions. Public support for Putin has recently declined, according to independent polls.
Source: www.kyivpost.com
