Kathrine Frich
Experts expect a sudden breakdown of power once internal pressure hits a breaking point.
Holding absolute power in a nation at war often seems unbreakable from the outside.
Yet history shows that when long conflicts grind on without clear victories, quiet cracks can open behind closed palace doors long before the public notices.
Cracks in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing growing internal resistance as the war in Ukraine drags on, according to a top European intelligence official.
While street revolts remain unlikely, elite figures inside Russia are beginning to question the Kremlin’s direction.
Kaupo Rosin, Director General of the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service, revealed that critical voices are growing louder. High-ranking figures are quietly urging the leadership to reconsider its strategy.
“There are certainly voices which express that he should keep going, but I think the voices which, let’s say, urge [him] to maybe reconsider the situation are becoming stronger,” Rosin told the Telegraph, as reported by the Daily Express.
The intelligence chief noted that economic strain and stalled military progress have severely damaged the nation. Inflation remains high, while battlefield advances have slowed.
Swift political shifts
“I think, objectively, Russia is in a very bad place at the moment, and many people understand this in Russia,” Rosin said.
If a political transformation occurs in Moscow, it will not be slow. Experts expect a sudden breakdown of power once internal pressure hits a breaking point.
“I would say, if something changes in Russia, then it will happen in a very rapid manner and we will all be surprised. It will be an overnight thing, if it ever happens,” Rosin stressed.
A previous challenge to Kremlin authority came in 2023 when Yevgeny Prigozhin led his Wagner mercenary group toward Moscow. Though that rebellion collapsed, it proved internal stability is fragile.
Growing public discontent
Frustration is no longer limited to ordinary citizens dealing with high prices. Wealthy elites are also feeling the weight of international sanctions and military stagnation.
“We see that overall unhappiness levels with this war are increasing in all echelons of society, starting from normal people and throughout, up to the oligarchs,” Rosin said.
The chief intelligence officer emphasized that opposition to the war is spreading fast across all social levels.
“More and more people do not want this war. The question is: what impact does this have on his [Putin’s] decision-making?” Rosin added.
Sources: Daily Express, The Telegraph
