Putin Fears for His Life if War Ends Without Capturing Donbas

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly told his entourage that he fears for his personal safety if the war in Ukraine ends without achieving at least a minimal goal of capturing all of Donbass. According to multiple sources, Putin believes that ending the war without this victory could expose him to physical danger. The Economist reports that Putin has chosen the path of escalation, including intensifying strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and sending another 300,000-400,000 Russians to the front without formally announcing a new mobilization. Dissatisfaction with the war is growing among the Russian public and elites, with one source saying, 'The feeling is that the tsar is naked.'