Hardline members of Russia's security apparatus remain in favor of dismissing current Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Staff chief Valerii Gerasimov, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 20 citing undisclosed five people "with knowledge of the situation."
The faction also supports introducing full-scale mobilization and martial law to Russia , For now, there is currently no indication that Putin will take any such steps, Bloomberg noted.
According to the outlet, today’s Russian elite was appalled by Putin’s weak response to the rebellion of the Wagner mercenary group and its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.
The detention of Igor ‘Strelkov’ Girkin, a Russian war criminal and a former commander of Russian proxy forces in occupied Donetsk Oblast, on July 21 by Russian Investigative Committee officers, fueled tensions even more.
Before he was arrested, Girkin had wrote on his Telegram channel that Russia “will not survive another six years of power of this useless coward."
As Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine approaches its 18-month anniversary, tensions continue to build in Russia between factions tussling for resources and political favor from the Kremlin. For Putin himself, the main question is often seen to be one of a choice between competence and loyalty to him as leader.
Oleg Sukhov
