"They will hang me": Putin fears being killed if he fails to conquer the Donbas

CNN Portugal1 September 2026 at 07:41

Russian President Vladimir Putin fears being killed if he fails to conquer the Donbas, a region in eastern Ukraine. The claim comes in a context of alleged revelations about the Russian leader's anxieties regarding the outcome of the war.

This revelation occurs at a time when discontent with the war is growing among the Russian population. There is growing public unease regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

The atmosphere among the Russian elites is described as even more negative than the sentiment of the general population. There are indications of internal pressure on Putin regarding the conduct of the war.

Putin's fear of being killed if he fails to conquer the Donbas thus emerges as part of a scenario of growing tensions both in Russian society and among the powerful classes of the country.

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The Minister of the Interior deferred to Tuesday the clarifications about the case that led the Chega party to threaten the government with a motion of censure. When questioned about what Luís Neves might say, the minister said he didn't know, considering a resignation unlikely.

CNN Portugal01/09/26, 08:30

"Não percebo muito bem exatamente o que Luís Neves tem na cabeça para hoje"

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Politics

"I don't really understand exactly what Luís Neves has in mind for today"

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CNN Portugal01/09/26, 08:30

Sánchez aponta à Rússia e Israel na crise de Ceuta. "Só que não foi Moscovo que os transportou de camião" e Telavive "não tem nem nunca teve" uma política de desinformação como a russa

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Politics

Sánchez points to Russia and Israel in the Ceuta crisis. "Only it wasn't Moscow that transported them by truck" and Tel Aviv "does not have and never has had" a disinformation policy like Russia's

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CNN Portugal01/09/26, 08:00

Chega vai mesmo censurar o Governo ou era só “bluff”?

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Politics

Is Chega really going to censure the Government or was it just a "bluff"?

The Chega party postponed the motion of censure against the Government, raising doubts about whether the threat was genuine or just a political "bluff". The news comes amid constant reversals in political positions that seem to change with every press conference. In parallel, Lisbon sees the completion of the Elevador da Glória works dragging on at a slow pace, with promises of completion only for 2029.

Observador01/09/26, 07:56

"They will hang me": Putin fears being killed if he fails to conquer the Donbas

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