[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Je-hoon] As Russia is pushed onto the defensive after losing a significant portion of its occupied territories due to Ukraine's counteroffensive, The New York Times reported on the 12th (local time) that "the image of power that Russian President Vladimir Putin has built over the past 20 years is shaking."
According to the report, Abbas Gallyamov, a political commentator who served as Putin's speech secretary, said, "The only source of legitimacy for President Putin is power," adding, "In a situation where it becomes clear that there is no power, legitimacy will plummet to the bottom."
Recently, the Russian military has been struggling, retreating from the northeastern regions it had controlled due to the Ukrainian army's counterattacks. Of course, Russian state media and others explain this as part of 'troop reorganization.'
Criticism has also been raised within Russia. Pro-Putin political commentator Sergey Markov pointed out, "Due to some mistake we do not know about, control over political procedures is being lost," adding, "I assure you this confusion will not last long, but the current situation is a mess." Sergey Mironov, leader of the pro-government A Just Russia party, also criticized the fireworks display held in Moscow, saying, "Are you pretending nothing is happening while young people are dying today as well?"
Regarding this, Gallyamov analyzed that the Russian leadership might consider a leadership change if the situation worsens. He predicted, "The more the fierce fighting continues in Ukraine, the more the Russian ruling class may try to appoint a successor to Putin," adding, "If the Russian military's defeats continue as they are now, such moves will accelerate."
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that President Putin is expected to seek a way out by meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit scheduled for the 15th to 16th, aiming to gain support.
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