The Russian elite is becoming increasingly gloomy about the prospects of Putin's war in Ukraine, with even the most optimistic believing that the best way out for the Kremlin is a "frozen" conflict.
Source. Bloomberg
According to seven people familiar with the situation who wished to remain anonymous, many of the political and business elite are tired of the war and want to stop it.
However, they doubt that Putin will stop the fighting. While no one wants to confront the president over the invasion, absolute faith in his leadership has been shaken, four of the interlocutors said.
The best option now would be to negotiate and freeze the conflict, after which Putin could declare a Pyrrhic victory for Russia by holding on to some of the seized Ukrainian territory, two of the Bloomberg sources said.
At the same time, all this will be accompanied by the authorities shifting responsibility to each other for the failed invasion, the agency notes.
The four sources said that despite doubts about Russia's victory, most officials continue to perform their duties "without raising their heads," convinced that they cannot influence the situation.
Late last year, Bloomberg wrote that the Russian elite is worried that the founder of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is becoming an increasingly prominent figure in the Russian government. Putin was described by Bloomberg's interlocutors as an increasingly isolated leader, surrounded by a small group of supporters and impervious to criticism.