The Russian leader’s fantastical speech shows he recognises that his country is losing its war on Ukraine, says Keir Giles of the Russia programme at Chatham House
, announcing partial mobilisation and warning of possible retaliation for western actions against Russia, will renew fears of reckless nuclear blackmail. But overall, it should be seen as more reassuring than troubling.is losing in its war of imperial expansion. The less good news is that if he believes even a tiny fraction of the lies and fantasies he reeled off during the speech, his grip on reality is even shakier than we previously suspected.
Russia says it plans to mobilise an additional 300,000 soldiers. That raises the question of whether Putin is fully aware that his army is already unable to train and equip the much smaller numbers of reinforcements it has received to date.
For long-term Russia watchers, the most striking aspect of Putin’s speech was how little his claims aboutand the world had moved on since his last major speech at the launch of his invasion in February. The central myth that the west wants to destroy Russia has now been embellished with the notion that the country has been threatened with western weapons of mass destruction.
, which lays out a far more limited set of circumstances where nuclear weapons can be used or even be useful.in the occupied territories are another sign of Russia scrambling to find ways of dissuading Ukraine’s supporters from helping it liberate its people. Being able to claim that the occupied territories of Ukraine are now part of Russia will allow Moscow to frame any attempt by Ukraine to free its citizens from Russia’s savage occupation as an attack on Russia itself.
The outcome of the referendums is, of course, in no doubt. The “correct” figures will be ensured by adding in absentee voting from within Russia itself – and it is very likely that, just as with the same exercise in Crimea in 2014, the choices presented on the ballot paper will, in reality, be no choice at all.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Sham referendums': Plan for occupied regions of Ukraine to vote on joining Russia met with outragePro-Russian figures announced referendums for 23 - 27 September in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces, representing around 15 per cent of Ukrainian territory, or an area about the size of Hungary.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war latest: what we know on day 210 of the invasionWorld leaders condemn intention by Moscow-held regions of Ukraine to vote on annexation by Russia
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war latest: what we know on day 209 of the invasionForensic experts exhume 146 bodies from mass burial site at Izium; Russia loses full control of Luhansk as Ukraine retakes village
Read more »
Ukraine accuses Russia of 'nuclear terrorism' after missile strikeA Russian missile has blasted a crater close to a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, damaging nearby industrial equipment but not hitting its three reactors.
Read more »
Ukraine war to take centre stage at UN as west and Russia vie for supportThe general assembly is expected to see fresh tussles over future of Ukraine, as well as the threats of famine and the climate crisis in the global south
Read more »