An anonymous Telegram channel, “Kremlin Tobacco Box,” which frequently reports accurate insights, presents these varied opinions. (The full opinion survey is available in Russian)
The announcement of a ceasefire has sparked unusual reactions within the Kremlin. Sources discuss Trump’s fears, label Putin a genius, and criticize him for initiating the Special Military Operation (SMO).
Vladimir Putin's remarks regarding his willingness to pursue a ceasefire at the front and the related nuances have elicited contradictory and even chaotic responses in the Kremlin. Opinions regarding the president's statements are sharply divided.
“Vladimir Vladimirovich is a genius. A brilliant response to the ceasefire proposals. Now we need to apply some pressure on Trump, and we will not only disrupt arms supplies to the Kyiv regime but also mobilization, which would be a significant achievement. From there, it will be easier to achieve all the necessary goals for Russia's future,” said a source close to the president in the Administration.
Another source believes that “our esteemed American partner Trump” is now burdened with several fears after witnessing Putin in military attire in the Kursk region. “Now, it will be easier for Vladimir Vladimirovich to achieve the desired result.”
However, there are dissenting views. A patriotic-minded source, referred to by some as a hawk, remarked: “What is happening now is humiliating; it’s painful to watch, just as it is to see Vladimir Vladimirovich consider the liberation of the Kursk region a great victory. Eternal glory to the soldiers who fell there, liberating the region. But such sacrifices should not have occurred, and the enemy should have been expelled from the Kursk region last autumn.”
“In 2022, before the start of the SMO, I personally heard Vladimir Vladimirovich state: There will be no Ukraine soon, and we will install our person in power in Kyiv. Now we celebrate the liberation of Sudzhа. Forgive my frankness, but I increasingly think that the SMO was initiated in vain. That so many young men fell at the front without purpose. Otherwise, how can one explain what’s happening and the fact that Ukraine still exists?” the channel's interlocutor lamented.
All in all, unsettling processes are unfolding. Back in February, we warned that negotiations with the Americans over the Ukrainian crisis would fracture the Russian elite. Our warnings went unheeded, and the situation is becoming genuinely dangerous.
