Extract from ABC News
ABC News HomepageA former Russian diplomat who defected from his post at the United Nations in 2022 says Vladimir Putin's inner circle is shrinking and most people inside the Kremlin do not support the war against Ukraine.
Key points:
- Boris Bondarev says most people in the Kremlin are "very unhappy" about the war in Ukraine
- Mr Bondarev says the Wagner march has exposed Vladimir Putin's weakness
- The Russian leader is likely to seek revenge, Mr Bondarev says
"There is a majority of people in the Kremlin, in all government structures, who are very much unhappy about this war …," Boris Bondarev told ABC 7.30.
"A lot of people think just like I do."
Mr Bondarev was the first Russian diplomat to resign over Mr Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
He condemned the war as aggressive and labelled Russia a fascist state.
The former diplomat told 7.30 Mr Putin's grip on power had been significantly damaged by the aborted uprising at the weekend, conducted by mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Mr Bondarev explained why Mr Prigozhin was able to move into Rostov-on-Don with impunity.
"I believe it's quite simple. When a few thousand heavily armed, motivated guys appear in the city and the army or police forces, which have to protect it, they don't have any orders to, you know, to open fire … and they just withdrew and they disappeared."
Mr Bondarev said Mr Putin's management of Russian defence forces and his dictatorial style of leadership disempowered troops on the ground.
"President Putin for two decades at least has consistently taught his army, his generals, his subordinates, his civil servants that they are … only to obey and to do what he tells them to do. No initiative, no decision of their own thinking. Because any grade of independent thinking is a threat, of course, as to any other dictator," he said.
"So, when a crisis arises, nobody knows what to do. Nobody wants to take any responsibility."
High price for disobedience
Mr Bondarev paid a high price when he quit his diplomatic post. He now lives in exile in Switzerland where he sought political asylum.
Because of security concerns, camera crews are not allowed to film inside his home, nor can he move around.
Mr Bondarev said the Wagner march exposed Mr Putin's weakness and he believes the Russian leader is likely to seek revenge.
"It damages Putin's image as a decisive [leader] who might crush anybody," he told 7.30.
"So I believe that Prigozhin has a lot of reasons to be very much concerned about his life now because I don't think Putin may easily forgive this."
Mr Bondarev said there are very few people in high places who dared to challenge Mr Putin openly. And, as such, the Wagner revolt felt like an experiment.
"There are very few people who are able to act independently … When Mr Prigozhin did this, we understand that he lacked goals," Mr Bondarev said.
"He didn't really understand what he was going to do. That's why he had to turn away, but if he had had vision … another situation would have unfolded very differently."
The Wagner revolt gave Russian opposition figures in exile some hope that the goal of a post-Putin Russia might be more achievable now than previously thought.
Mr Bondarev said the revolt was an unprecedented blow to the Russian ruler.
"The war has been undermining his power and authority since day one, slowly, like creepingly. But this, this mutiny is [a] very, you know, open challenge and everybody's interested [in] how Putin will cope, and many hope … that he will not."
No comments:
Post a Comment