An American expert on Russian affairs: Putin's days are over, and this is the beginning of the end

The American expert on Russian affairs, Michael McFaul, says in

in the Washington Post that it is difficult to escape the feeling that the best days of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his ideas have become a thing of the past, and that he and his regime will never recover, and he is now like former Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev in Afghanistan and his "colossal failure" in Ukraine could be the beginning of the end for Putinism.

The writer - who served as a former ambassador to Russia during Putin's era, ran the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and wrote a book entitled "From Cold War to Hot Peace ... An American Ambassador to Putin's Russia" - explained that Putin's recent behavior indicates that he is the same He understands that his thoughts are experiencing the beginning of their end.

A strong indicator of losing the war

The writer went on to say that what is happening and what Putin has done recently confirms that Putinism is on the decline.

He evidenced this with several evidences, including his change of chief of staff of his armed forces on January 11, saying that war leaders only change generals when they lose.

This change in the top of the army - according to the author - is not the only indication of Putin's admission of failure.

There is his cancellation of his annual press conference at the end of the year, as it is clear that he is reluctant to answer the questions of journalists, even those loyal to him, as well as his shy solitary appearance in the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Kremlin on Orthodox Christmas, which does not express much confidence, as he put it.

The article added that Putin's propagandists are clearly depressed.

One of them, Sergey Markov, summed up the previous year bluntly, "The United States was the main winner in 2022. Especially President Joe [Biden]."

Russian reporter Maxim Usin recently said on a talk show that Russia's "special military operation" had not achieved any of its original goals, and former Putin advisor Sergey Glazyev has publicly lamented that Russia does not have a clear end goal, sound ideology, or sufficient resources to win the war against Russia. the West.

He will not restore his reputation

The writer indicated that Putin plans (in order to compensate) Russia's losses in 2022 by launching the spring offensive after recruiting hundreds of thousands of other soldiers.

But even with increasing successes, he would never be able to restore the reputation he once enjoyed among his subjects as a strong and all-encompassing leader.

This is because:

First, major Russian battlefield victories are unlikely.

Second, his invasion of Ukraine triggered the most sweeping sanctions against a single country, ending two decades of Russia's integration into the global economy.

This isolation will continue as long as Putin remains in power.

Therefore, he will not regain respect from the country's private business sector.

Third, societal support for Putin is weak and declining, concern about conflict is increasing, and the demographic of his support is elderly and rural.

The writer concluded in his article that Putin is losing the future.