Putin’s Fear of Regime Collapse Drives Plan for 400,000-Troop Surge
Vladimir Putin is preparing to send up to 400,000 additional troops to Ukraine, driven by fears that failing to capture Donbas could lead to his removal. Kremlin-linked sources told The Economist that the leader believes he faces execution if the war ends without a decisive victory. This escalation leverages the existing 2022 mobilization decree, allowing recruitment without a new public announcement. While the Kremlin officially dismisses these reports as 'information ducks,' Western intelligence warns of intensified hybrid attacks on European defense industries and potential strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.