Putin Is Trying to Shift the Blame for the War onto the Russian People – ISW
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is trying to avoid personal responsibility for the war against Ukraine by shifting the blame onto other government officials and Russian citizens.
According to experts, the Kremlin also continues to militarize Russian society and shape the public’s perception of the war as a shared responsibility.
Analysts highlighted Putin’s speech on Navy Day on July 26, in which he emphasized the importance of national unity around the military operations against Ukraine. He stated that it is “necessary to instill in the consciousness” of Russian society the importance of the war and to preserve this sense of national unity even after it ends.
In addition, Putin stated that volunteers are eager to assist the Russian military and “fear that in peacetime, their help will no longer be needed by Russian troops.” According to analysts, this is an attempt to portray the Russian population as willing to continue the war and make sacrifices for that cause.
During a meeting with State Duma deputies on July 27, Putin emphasized the unity of the Russian leadership behind the war effort. In particular, he noted the Duma’s unanimous vote on laws regarding the “integration” of the occupied territories in Ukraine’s Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
“Putin likely emphasized the role of Duma deputies and ordinary citizens in Russia’s war effort, seeking to absolve himself of personal responsibility for the costly war and to portray them as those who fully support Putin’s decisions ahead of the Duma elections in September 2026,” analysts believe.
This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
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