Vladimir Putin
Personalized Power at War
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Russia’s political system is highly personalised. All relevant decisions, including the war against Ukraine, are made by autocrat Vladimir Putin. Despite de-feats on the battlefield, his regime appears stable. But the war reveals the paradox of personalised rule: Putin claims that the “special military operation” was necessary to forestall a larger war that the United States had planned against Russia. He admits weaknesses, but claims Russia will emerge as a strong state. In fact, it’s the other way around: Putin’s regime appears strong because it started the war and is terrorising Ukraine. In Russia, the war penetrates every nook and cranny of society. But it is obvious that the war was Putin’s biggest mistake and will contribute to the permanent weakening of his regime and Russia.
(Osteuropa 7-9/2023, pp. 135–159)