Putin is under pressure from within to end the war.
An excellent salesman and author of Vladimir Putin and his entourage, the English journalist discovered the growing tensions in the machine of Russian power.
An excellent salesman and author of Vladimir Putin and his entourage, the English journalist discovered the growing tensions in the machine of Russian power. (Illustrated photo)
AFP Photo / Pool / Sergey Karbukin
You are a journalist, an expert in Russia. Your book on the rule of Vladimir Putin is the best-selling book in Great Britain. Do you understand the intention of the Russian president to start this war?
Putin firmly believes that the United States has brought Ukraine under his control and wants to use Ukraine to undermine his rule. Whether this is true or false is another question. But there is no doubt that he is committed to it. Shortly before the war, we saw him talking to Nikolai Badrushev, chairman of the Russian Security Council and one of his closest advisers. Badrushev told him that the long-running conflict was organized by the United States and that the United States had forced the Ukrainian people to join the conflict. According to him, the Americans have designated Russia as an enemy, and the purpose of the Russian leadership is to protect Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Badrushev tells him what to think. Before the war, these men would wake up one morning, fearing that Ukraine would join NATO. As Western weapons have already begun to arrive there, military training provided by Westerners, the Ukrainian military is approaching NATO standards. Although the possibility of Ukraine becoming a member of NATO is very remote, the Ukrainian military has already been trained by NATO.