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An airfield in the Kursk region of Russia, on the border with Ukraine, has been attacked by drones. An oil tanker caught fire.
Ciara SchlenzNews editor
For nearly nine months, Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine has been a “special operation” for Russians far from home. On Tuesday, the reality of war — literally — hit Russia, too. Within two days, three airfields in Russia were attacked by drones. First on Monday were Dyagilevo Airport in Ryazan Region and Engels Airport in Saratov Region. The location in Kursk continued on Tuesday. Three soldiers were killed.
Vladimir Putin (70) called an emergency meeting of his Security Council. The Kremlin responded immediately “Institute for War Studies” (ISW) reported. Because the government’s new propaganda narrative is no longer “destruction of Ukraine” but “protection of Russia from the West” – and Ukraine. “There is a possibility that Russian officials are promoting defense products within Russia to incite patriotic feelings,” the UK MoD said in its report.
Reason: Native people no longer trust the government. Only 25 percent of Russians support Putin’s war in Ukraine. 55 percent are in favor of peace talks. It shows a public Kremlin poll.
The justification for this war is on shaky ground, explains Slavicist Ulrich Schmidt (56) of the University of St. Gallen. “The narrative that they wanted to ‘denazify’ Ukraine didn’t catch on with the general public. Now the narrative that Russia is at war against the West and especially against NATO is at the forefront,” Schmidt tells Blick.
In the words of ISW experts, “the Kremlin appears to be moving away from limited war coverage intended to assuage Russian public concerns about the war.”
“Insidious reversal of the roles of perpetrator and victim”
But there may be more behind the change in campaign strategy. That is, prepare the Russians for a second mobilization. Frithjof Benjamin Schenck (52), professor of East European history at the University of Basel, also told Blick: “The government is using the damage to Russian military bases as an excuse to mobilize its own people for a ‘security war’. This is certainly a false reversal of the roles of perpetrator and victim.
At least on the Russian-Ukrainian border, it seems to be having an effect. According to ISW, Kursk Oblast announced the creation of regional defense units, thereby “exposing many civilians to combat under the absurd premise of a Ukrainian ground attack on Russian border areas”.
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Both experts believe that Russia cannot achieve its war goals through a second mobilization. “After eight years of war, Ukraine will not accept a Russian-dictated peace. In addition, a second major mobilization of separatists will lead to a new mass exodus of young and qualified Russian workers abroad, with correspondingly negative economic consequences for Russia,” Schenk explains.
Although popular support for the war is waning, Putin need not fear nationwide protests. “Many people are apathetic about this war, taking the position that they have no influence on the larger politics anyway,” explains Schmidt, a Russia expert. This is both good and bad. “There is little opposition to war on the one hand, but little support on the other.”
“Wannabe pop culture fanatic. Zombie advocate. Entrepreneur. Internet evangelist. Alcohol fanatic. Typical travel buff.”
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