"Putin Is Losing Control Of The Situation."
- 14.05.2026, 7:59
The Kremlin is reaching the "final impasse."
The political regime of Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin is entering a phase of narrowing opportunities in both domestic and foreign policy, and in case of inertial continuation of the war, Russia may face a systemic deadlock within the next 8-12 months. In an interview with "Glavred", political philosopher, lecturer at Charles University in Prague and head of the Free Russia Institute Alexander Morozov told about this.
In his assessment, the Kremlin's key problem now lies not only in economic constraints, but above all in the political "corridor of decisions," which has narrowed considerably. Putin, according to the expert, is at a crossroads: either look for a way to end the war, or continue it without a clear explanation of its ultimate goals for society.
"He can no longer continue the war as he has been waging it for four years. This is felt very clearly," Morozov said.
The expert emphasized that one of the main problems was the lack of a clear "end horizon" of the war for the Russian population. If earlier the authorities were able to explain the goals of the so-called "USO," now, according to him, "no one understands it."
Economic pressure and the risk of stalemate
Separately, Morozov draws attention to the loss of foreign policy expectations, in particular regarding possible US pressure on Ukraine. According to him, earlier the Russian information field actively promoted the narrative that "now Trump will put pressure on Kiev, and everything will go differently," but this factor no longer works.
According to the expert, the scenario of a quick military result in Donbass, which could be presented as the "end" of the war, is not being realized. Battles for key agglomerations continue and have no predictable finale.
Morozov separately points to the deterioration of the internal economic situation in the Russian Federation. In his opinion, the period of financial stimulus, which was observed in 2023-2024, is coming to an end, but the fiscal burden on the population is growing.
"If three years ago there was a balance of "carrots" and losses, now it has disappeared," he notes, adding that public fears about possible freezing of savings, tax increases and new financial charges are growing.
In Morozov's opinion, if the current inertial model of warfare persists, Russia may reach a "final stalemate" in both the military-political and systemic dimensions within the next 8-12 months.