"Putin Chickened Out In Front Of The Mayor Of Moscow"

• 11.08.2026, 12:32

Behind Sobyanin's proposal to end the war stands a powerful ally.

The mayor of Moscow unexpectedly declared that it was time to end the war, and his idea appealed to many wealthy Russians, who may begin to rally around him, according to military expert and Ukrainian Armed Forces officer Oleg Zhdanov. This is dangerous for Putin, so the Kremlin may take some action against Sobyanin even before the election.

The military expert discussed this on his YouTube channel. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer commented on the Moscow mayor’s statement, revealing an important detail: “Putin apparently sprang into action after Sobyanin’s speech, because Sobyanin spoke out categorically against continuing the war, saying that shifting the Russian Federation’s economy onto a military track is a ‘red line’ that could bring down the country’s entire financial system. I’ll tell you this: Putin got nervous, of course, because Sobyanin has a very powerful ally behind him in the form of Xi Jinping. Sobyanin is China’s favorite. Sobyanin is regarded in China as a serious political figure.”

“They decided to punish Sobyanin later, after the elections, but they might be too late. Apparently, the crackdown will have to take place right now, before the election, at the most inopportune moment. Why? Because the Russian elite and Russian financial magnates have begun to rally around Sobyanin. “They’re ready to make any compromises just to end the war, just so they don’t lose all—or most of—the capital they’ve stolen over the years while in power and as part of Putin’s clique,” Zhdanov explained, getting to the heart of the matter.