War Is A Way For Putin To Hold On To Power

The Kremlin has nothing to explain the economic stagnation and falling living standards.

For Putin, war is a key factor in internal stability. Without it, his regime does not work. He started in 1999 with the Second Chechen War and terrorist attacks on Russia, continued in 2007-2008 with the war with Georgia, in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea, and since 2022 war has become an absolutely integral part of Putin's system.

So regardless of the circumstances, he needs war. And the problem is not so much the people who are used to fighting and getting a lot of money for it, and not only those who are embedded in the production of military products. The main problem is different - it will be necessary to explain to the rest of the citizens of Russia why the country's economy has not grown for 10 years and why the standard of living is falling on average.

While the war is going on, this explanation works. When the war is over, there will be nothing to explain. That is why Putin's modus operandi is a new war. He is not going anywhere from that.

And if Europe does not look like a bristling hedgehog that cannot be attacked with the resources Putin has, he will solve his internal problems with another war. There is no doubt about that, in my opinion.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Facebook

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