Putin tries to absolve himself of responsibility for protracted war in Ukraine

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports this.

Thus, Putin made several statements that Russia seeks to end the war as soon as possible, at the same time noting that the Russian Federation will not increase the pace of the "special military operation" because it will lead to "unjustified losses."

Both statements are part of a consolidated effort by the Kremlin to justify Putin's war effort to a Russian domestic audience that is increasingly self-sacrificing to achieve the Kremlin's unrealistic goals, analysts say.

The Institute recalled that the Russian military had not won any significant victory since the capture of Lysychansk on July 3.

“Putin and Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) officials have made numerous appearances and offered vague justifications for military failures in recent days, also likely in an effort to downplay the effects of the protracted war,” the analysts say. 

Key Takeaways

• Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to refuse to treat Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as an equal and sovereign counterpart, further indicating that he is not interested in serious negotiations with Ukraine.

• Putin’s rhetoric is a part of an ongoing Russian information operation that denies Ukraine’s legitimacy as a sovereign state.

• Putin amplified an existing Russian information operation designed to decrease Western security assistance for Ukraine.

• Putin is continuing to absolve himself of responsibility for conducting a protracted war in Ukraine.

• Russian Chief of General Staff, Army General Valery Gerasimov, attempted to revive a debunked Russian narrative that the Kremlin invaded Ukraine to preempt a fictitious planned Ukrainian attack on Russian-occupied Donbas and Crimea.

• The Kremlin claimed that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited the frontlines in Ukraine for the second time in a week, likely to deflect criticism that Shoigu is not an involved wartime leader.

• Wagner Financier Yevgeny Prigozhin continues to seek to elevate the importance of the Wagner Group to establish himself as the central figure of Russia’s ultra-nationalist pro-war community.

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general Rafael Grossi held talks with Russian officials on the creation of a security zone around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).

• Russian forces continued to conduct limited counterattacks along the Kreminna-Svatove line and Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations in the Kreminna area.

• Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka areas.

• Russian forces are increasing security measures in Kherson Oblast and Crimea out of fear of Ukrainian counteroffensive operations.

• A senior Russian official denied claims of a second wave of mobilization amidst ongoing crypto-mobilization efforts.

• Ukrainian partisans continued to target Russian occupation authorities.

On December 22, during a meeting with propagandists, Putin stated that Russia seeks the earliest possible end to the war in Ukraine, using this definition for the first time.Earlier, he called the war against Ukraine a “special operation.”

After that, one of the Russian deputies sued Putin for calling the “special operation” a war.