The Telegraph: Putin's Regime Is Fractured
- 13.06.2026, 21:29
Voices opposing the war have begun to emerge.
Journalists from The Telegraph cite Russian lawmaker Vyacheslav Markhaev, who demanded that dictator Vladimir Putin present a plan to end the war in Ukraine and criticized him for “ineffective leadership.” He stated that throughout the war, Russia has been plagued by corruption scandals, oligarchy, the loss of “the most active and reproductive segment of the population,” and strikes by Ukrainian UAVs.
“The time for illusions is over. The country is on the brink of a social explosion, and all the blame for this will fall on the entrenched ruling power. If the situation persists, social unrest and chaos will become more likely. The West will inevitably take advantage of this to destroy the remnants of Russian statehood,” he stated.
Journalists noted that Markhaev has joined the list of figures critical of the Russian government. In particular, in May, another deputy Renat Suleimanov called for a swift end to the war, stating that the Russian economy would not be able to withstand its continuation. And in March, Ilya Remeslo—a blogger who had previously actively supported the Kremlin’s policies—spoke out sharply against Putin.
The publication reports that dissatisfaction with the government in Russia has been growing rapidly in recent months. This is linked to widespread internet outages, slow progress on the battlefield, and long-range Ukrainian strikes.
The economic situation in Russia is also a cause for concern. Growth has slowed to a minimum, inflation remains high, and Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and terminals have eaten into a significant portion of the Russian budget. Meanwhile, the Kremlin’s defense spending has effectively reached its highest level since the end of the Cold War. This is also a cause for alarm at the Russian Ministry of Finance. It is noted that military spending in early 2026 rose by more than 30% compared to the previous year, reaching 46% of total budget expenditures.
“This means that nearly every other ruble spent from the federal budget went toward military needs,” the publication notes.
Journalists also analyzed the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. They noted the absence at the event of Elvira Nabiullina, the head of the central bank. She later also missed a meeting with Putin regarding interest rates. Russian opposition media, citing sources, reported that Nabiullina issued an ultimatum to Putin: she would remain in her post until the end of her term only if he did not escalate the war by closing the borders and imposing martial law.
Nabiullina is considered a highly respected politician and has worked with Putin for nearly 20 years. She has her own reservations and attempted to resign at the very beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.