Kremlin insiders reportedly
fear Russian President Vladimir Putin could resort to using nuclear bombs in
the war against Ukraine.
The concerns have been raised
as some of the country’s elite believe that the invasion was a catastrophic
mistake.
Bloomberg has reported
that nearly eight weeks into the invasion, a small but growing number of senior
Kremlin insiders are questioning the decision to go to war.
They even echoed fears of US
intelligence officials that Putin could turn to the limited use of nuclear
bombs if faced with failure of a campaign he believes historic and vital
for Russia.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
refused to give a direct answer to repeated questions about whether Russia
would use nuclear weapons in its invasion of Ukraine, on Tuesday.
The media outlet reported that
a number of the senior Kremlin insiders thought the invasion had been a
catastrophic mistake.
Insiders feared the invasion
could set the country back years and so far, there has reportedly been no sign
that Putin has my intention of changing course or any prospect of a challenge
to his power in Russia.
Any attempts to warn Putin off
of the costs of the war have reportedly been dismissed out of hand as well as
the president has become increasingly reliant on a shrinking circle of hardline
advisers.
Despite the critics
internally, the majority of the Kremlin and Russia’s elite still supports
Putin’s efforts.
As well as that, public
backing for the war remains strong and despite western sanctions there is
stability in Russia.
In spite of all of this, a
growing number of insiders Bloomberg spoke to believe Putin’s commitment to the
war will doom Russia and isolate it for years to come with a crippled economy,
lack of global influence and compromised security.
Most powerful players are far
too afraid to openly speak out but a few business leaders have made veiled
comments questioning the strategy the Kremlin has pursued so doggedly.
Vladimir Putin launches
missile in warning to ‘those who try to threaten Russia’.
Russia was left surprised by
the speed and breadth of the western response and sanctions, including freezing
half of its central banks reserves and its support to Kyiv.
But, despite this Putin
reportedly brushed off any warnings and admitted Russia would pay a huge cost
to the war but had no alternative, and that its economy would eventually adapt.
The insiders said the
president was confident the public would remain behind the war effort and would
endure whatever sacrifice needed.
Putin is determined to push on
with the war effort, even if the aim of conquering Ukraine is reduced to a
gruelling bloody battle for the Donbas region in the east.
In the weeks since the invasion
began on February 24, Putin’s inner circle of advisers has shrunk dramatically
from an already limited group, two people told the site.
