Putin Will Give Up Only When Inner Circle Forces Him To Stop: Expert Says Chasing Away Russian Army Not Enough

An expert has warned that chasing away Vladimir Putin's Russian army is not enough for Ukraine to win this war. 

What Happened: Olga Chyzh, a political expert and researcher, in an op-ed for The Guardian, said the Russian leader operates under a different set of domestic institutional constraints from his opponents in the West.

She added that unlike U.S. President Joe Biden and his European allies, "authoritarian leaders" like Putin do not face the same public pressure.

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"Sobering images of troops returning home in body bags are detrimental for democratic presidents but are irrelevant for leaders who do not rely on public support to remain in power. No number of casualties will soften the Russian pharaoh's heart," Chyzh said. 

She added that Putin can afford to play this for long to buy time until today's pro-Ukraine leaders in the West are replaced by those that support Kyiv less. 

Referring to the Soviet-Finnish wars and Chechen War, Chyzh said, "Russia has a history of initially failed military campaigns that succeeded on the second go."

According to her, even if Kyiv succeeds in chasing away every last Russian soldier from its land, Putin's aggression will not end. The Kremlin will continue to claim Ukraine's territory and back them up with border skirmishes. "There is no such thing as a decisive victory for the defender."

She added that although leaders in the West and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are optimistic about a negotiated settlement, Kyiv's government needs to prepare for the long haul. The war-torn nation should strengthen its relationships with potential allies and develop its defense industry further. 

"The only way Ukraine can achieve lasting peace is by stockpiling the biggest guns it can find," she said.

Meanwhile, Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, warned that the U.S. and NATO's support of Ukraine is leading the world to a "terrible war."

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