All articles tagged with #kremlin
Russia’s Vladimir Putin released a Kremlin-produced video in which he’s dressed as a soldier entering a command post, a staged battlefield scene apparently designed to win back Donald Trump as Ukraine’s war tilts toward Kyiv; observers call it a desperate TV stunt amid gasoline shortages and drone strikes, while Trump’s interest seems waning and Kyiv disputes Putin’s claims of seizing a Donetsk city.
Putin released a Kremlin-produced staged battlefield video showing him in uniform at a command post to woo Donald Trump as Ukraine gains the upper hand; observers say the scene looked coached and desperate, with Kyiv disputing Moscow’s claimed battlefield gains, and Russia facing domestic strains as Trump’s backing appears to waver.
The Kremlin said it was aware of a viral video in which a Russia war veteran, Alexander Lunin, threatened an armed uprising unless President Vladimir Putin met him to discuss alleged abuses by military commanders. The video, which has millions of views, shows Lunin demanding a Kremlin audience and warning that the army could turn its weapons on the Kremlin if not. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said officials had not yet watched the clip. Independent outlets have verified Lunin’s identity as a 39-year-old Voronezh native who changed his surname in 2023 and was removed from Russia’s extremist list.
A Russian military commander, Alexander Lunin, released an Instagram video claiming top defense officials and security services pressed him to deliver a live message to Vladimir Putin from the Kremlin to reveal the war’s truth. He warned that if he fails to appear, “the army will turn its weapons against the Kremlin,” signaling a brewing mutiny amid battlefield setbacks and continued Moscow-Putin tensions.
The Kremlin dismissed Zelensky’s week-long ultimatum to Belarus to remove Russian signal-relay equipment used to guide Shahed drones, calling it aggressive interference in Belarus’ sovereignty; Putin is expected to discuss Kyiv’s threats with Lukashenko at an upcoming meeting, while Zelensky warned that Ukraine would act if Belarus does not move to dismantle the systems.
Elvira Nabiullina, Russia’s central bank governor, has not appeared in public for over a week, with the Central Bank and Kremlin saying she’s ill. Her absence from key events and meetings with Putin has sparked speculation about a possible resignation or extended absence, amid talk of who could replace her and whether her term could be extended beyond 2027, in a period of debate over border controls and martial law implications.
The Conversation argues that while Ukraine’s war has exposed Russia’s weaknesses and sparked public discontent (e.g., a Levada poll showing majority want the war to end), there are few signs of mass protests due to repression and a lack of an organized opposition. Historical precedents show wars andForeign-policy missteps have toppled Russian leaders, but any change is more likely to come from within the ruling elite than from street demonstrations. The Kremlin has even contemplated propaganda adjustments and keeps potential successors at bay, suggesting that if elites decide their interests require removing Putin, leadership change could occur with less popular upheaval rather than a mass uprising.
Russian mid- and lower-level officials privately warn Vladimir Putin’s political system may have no future amid waning public support and the protracted war in Ukraine, though those closest to Putin feel relatively secure; economists warn the economy may not withstand a prolonged conflict, and the Kremlin is tightening internet controls to curb dissent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Beijing May 19-20 to meet Xi Jinping, a visit timed to the 25th anniversary of the Russia–China treaty and coming days after Donald Trump’s trip to China. The Kremlin says they will discuss strengthening their partnership and regional issues, with Putin also set to discuss economic and trade cooperation with Premier Li Qiang as Moscow continues to lean toward Asia amid Western sanctions.
A US-brokered ceasefire through Victory Day appears fragile as Russia and Ukraine trade blame after deadly drone strikes: Kyiv says Moscow attacked and violated the truce, while Moscow accuses Ukraine of violations. In the last 24 hours, one person was killed and three wounded in Zaporizhzhia, seven wounded in Kherson, and a nine-story Kharkiv block was damaged; Ukraine also said it shot down 27 drones. The ceasefire, secured with Donald Trump’s involvement, remains precarious as both sides warn the other could breach it.
Russia and Ukraine traded blame as a fragile US-brokered ceasefire was rocked by deadly drone strikes, with both sides accusing the other of violations while Donald Trump said the truce would pause fighting through Victory Day; reports of casualties in Kherson and Kharkiv and a Russian drone attack damaging a Kharkiv apartment block underscored how fragile the agreement remains.
A Kremlin factional clash widens as ex-propagandist Ilya Remeslo defects from pro-Putin ranks, claiming broad elite discontent and suggesting a power struggle between Kiriyenko’s administration and the FSB. With falling approval, tightened internet controls, and security fears amid drone attacks, the situation signals growing internal pressure on Putin ahead of elections, echoing late-Soviet-era turmoil.
A European intelligence dossier obtained by CNN says the Kremlin has tightened Putin's security—installing home surveillance for close aides, double-screening visitors, restricting travel, and limiting phones—in response to assassinations and alleged coup plots; Sergei Shoigu is tagged as a coup risk, while Putin has limited movements, used pre-recorded appearances and bunkers, and the report notes Kremlin unease amid Ukraine war setbacks and domestic strains, though many details are difficult to independently verify.
A prominent Russian influencer’s video urging President Vladimir Putin to address real, worsening conditions in Russia went viral (over 20 million views) and drew Kremlin attention. Viktoria Bonya warned that pressure on ordinary Russians could push society toward unrest, describing people as a 'coiled spring.' The Kremlin said it was aware of the message and working to address the issues, amid broader talk of internet restrictions and ahead of parliamentary elections.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied reports that President Vladimir Putin urged Russian oligarchs to fund the Ukraine war, saying any call for a large sum was a participant’s personal decision. The Financial Times cited unnamed sources; the piece notes Russia’s budget deficit and rising military spending. Reports highlighted Suleyman Kerimov as naming a 100 billion rubles contribution, with Bell noting others supported the idea and that the initiative may have originated with Putin. Peskov said the businessman justified it by ties to the state. Putin also warned oligarchs against wasting windfall oil profits.