The government of Vladimir Putin is preparing a significant increase in the number of Russian military personnel in Ukraine, with plans to mobilize more than 400,000 additional men. According to the analysis of specialists cited in the piece, this expansion of forces may proceed without the Kremlin having to formally announce a new national mobilization, thus avoiding public scrutiny and the potential political consequences of a massive call-up.
The title of the piece, "The tsar is naked," suggests that the Russian military operation faces deeper problems than the Kremlin publicly admits. The metaphorical expression indicates that the reality on the ground may be far from the official narrative presented by the Putin regime, pointing to possible weaknesses in the Russian military strategy that are not officially acknowledged.
The discomfort among the Russian elite constitutes a central element of the article. The growth of this unease among circles close to power in Moscow reflects internal tensions over the conduct of the war, possibly related to military losses, the economic costs of Western sanctions, and the prolonged impact of the conflict on Russian society.
The decision to avoid formal mobilization allows the Kremlin to circumvent the need to publicly explain the objectives and extent of the Russian military commitment in Ukraine. This approach suggests an attempt to manage both the internal narrative and population expectations, at a time when the conflict drags on without a clear resolution in sight.
