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The regime in Russia has proven harder to cripple than expected, but there might be a way to do it.
Russia’s political system has proven harder to shake than many observers anticipated.
After more than four years of war and countless sanctions aimed at crippling the Kremlin’s war chest, the war is still raging, with no signs of slowing down.
Even as economic strain builds in Russia, the country’s leadership continues to adapt and consolidate control.
Former British military attaché to Moscow and Kyiv, John Foreman, says in an exclusive interview with Libertatea that expectations of a rapid collapse have repeatedly missed the mark—but that Putin has an Achilles’ heel the West has not yet fully used.
A resilient system
Foreman explained to the outlet that authoritarian systems can endure longer than outsiders assume. He noted that many had viewed Russia as nearing a breaking point, expecting internal unrest or external pressure to trigger sudden change.
Instead, he suggested the Kremlin has shown an ability to respond quickly and decisively. Measures against dissent, media, and civil society have helped stabilize the domestic environment.
“You asked me a very good question. I think one thing I’ve learned is that dictatorships are more robust than they seem,” he replied when the journalist asked why no one has found Putin’s Achilles’ heel yet.
Economic pressure point
In the interview with Libertatea, Foreman described Russia as gradually weakening, comparing it to “a balloon that is slowly deflating.” Despite this, authorities continue to manage the decline with short-term fixes.
He pointed to the economy as a potential weak spot but argued that sanctions have not been fully maximized, as gaps in enforcement and policy, he said, have reduced their overall impact.
“I think Russia’s economy could be the Achilles’ heel of Putin. But we’ve never really applied all the sanctions that we probably could have,” he told Libertatea.
Foreman also suggested that U.S. administrations have not fully leveraged economic tools to increase pressure.
Tightened control
According to Foreman, President Vladimir Putin moved before the war to eliminate key vulnerabilities. Opposition figures were jailed, independent media restricted, and non-governmental groups shut down.
These actions, he argued, created a more controlled internal landscape. As a result, the government faces fewer immediate threats from within.
Externally, however, he said there has been no decisive strategy capable of forcing rapid change.
Sources: Libertatea
