How much longer will Putin now survive?

 John Sparks (left) of Sky News has just reported that,

"According to social media there were two explosions on the Kerch Bridge at 03.04 this morning. We understand that traffic has been stopped. Traffic is blocked up on both sides of the bridge." (Sky News : 17 July 2023) (my emphasis)

Sky News : 17 July 2023 

As also reported by Mattha Busby and Helen Livingstone,

“This morning we all started with information about the emergency that happened on the Crimean bridge. We all saw a video on the internet of a damaged car with Belgorod number plates,” Vyacheslav Gladkov [Crimea’s Russian governor] wrote." (The Guardian : 17 July 2023) (my emphasis)

 The Guardian : 17 July 2023

This critical event on Putin's bridge follows closely on the heels of Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, receiving assurances from US President Biden after the recent NATO summit in Vilnius that,

"President Joe Biden pledged Wednesday that western allies “will not waver” in defense of Ukraine, casting the struggle against Russian aggression as one of the world’s central challenges requiring a broad coalition of countries to stand in defense of freedom.

“Our unity will not falter,” Biden declared. “I promise you.” (Chris Megerian and Seung Min Kim  (above): Associated Press : 12 July 2023) (my emphasis)

Associated Press : 12 July 2023

All of this happened against the backdrop of Putin and his Kremlin 'siloviki' practically at each other's throats.

As reported by Aljazeera,

"Moscow’s military leadership has reportedly dismissed Major-General Ivan Popov (left), commander-in-chief of Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army stationed in southern Ukraine, over his concerns for troops fighting without rest and criticism of Russian battlefield strategy." (Aljazeera : 13 July 2023) (my emphasis)

Not content with only 'purging' Major-General Ivan Popov, Will Stewart And Shari Miller also report that,

"Yet another high-profile general was purged in Russia today as Vladimir Putin's defence minister continues to root out anyone viewed as having betrayed the Kremlin.

Paratrooper commander Major-General Vladimir Seliverstov (right), 49, is the eighth member of the country's top brass to be fired, suspended, detained or vanished in recent months.

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu is alleged to be conducting 'combat operations' against his own staff as key war generals are axed or sidelined." (Mail Online : 15 July 2023) (my emphasis)

Erin Burnett : CNN : 13 July 2023

And on the economic front, Ajay Banga (left) reports that,

"Redoubling support for war-stricken Ukraine is the "single best" way to aid the global economy, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday, along with boosting emerging economies and tackling debt distress.
...
"Ending this war is first and foremost a moral imperative," she told reporters in Gandhinagar, which is hosting a wider G20 summit. "But it's also the single best thing we can do for the global economy." (Yahoo News: 16 July 2023) (my emphasis) 

AFP video : Yahoo News: 16 July 2023

And as if to underline Janet Yellen's call that, "support for war-stricken Ukraine is the "single best" way to aid the global economy", Xu Keyue reports that,

"Contrary to usual practice, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol made a high-profile pledge on Saturday to "expand the scale" of his country's military assistance to Ukraine during his sudden visit to Ukraine, an indication that he has decided to side with the US-led NATO amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Chinese observers said.
...
During the visit to Kiev for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Yoon said in a press conference that South Korea plans to provide "a larger scale of military supplies" to Ukraine this year, following last year's provision of non-lethal supplies such as body armor and helmets. He did not give more details, Reuters reported on Saturday. (Global Times : 16 July 2023) (my emphasis)

BBC News : 16 July 2023 : YouTube

For Putin it must feel as though the whole world is now conspiring against him.

Even his generals can no longer be trusted to cover his back for him.

How much longer will he now survive?

UPDATE 1: 18 July 2023

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's statement that, "Ending this war is first and foremost a moral imperative" (ibid Ajay Banga), is brought into sharp relief by the report of Philip Pullella and Costas Pitas that, 

"Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (left), assigned by Pope Francis to help bring peace to Ukraine, will discuss repatriating children who Kyiv and others say have been deported by Russia with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington as part of a three-day visit.

Zuppi will meet Biden on Tuesday at the White House where they will discuss the suffering caused by the war, humanitarian aid and "the Papal See’s focus on repatriating Ukrainian children forcibly deported by Russian officials," the White House said." (Reuters : 17 July 2023) (my emphasis)

UPDATE 2 : 18 July 2023

Yellen's "moral imperative" that Putin should end his war with Ukraine is further underlined by the report of Stephen Collinson (right) that,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin just reminded the world that he has the capacity to apply pain far beyond the excruciating torment he’s inflicting on Ukraine.

Russia’s suspension of a deal allowing the export of Ukrainian grain from a region fabled as the world’s bread basket threatens to cause severe food shortages in Africa and send prices spiraling in supermarkets in the developed world.
...
Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Russia was trying to use food as a tool in its war on Ukraine, adding that the tactic would make “food harder to come by in places that desperately need it and have prices rise … The bottom line is, it’s unconscionable. It should not happen.” (CNN : 18 July 2023) (my emphasis)

UPDATE 3 : 20 July 2023

It was inevitable that Putin would attack Odesa, the main grain exporting port in Ukraine.

 And true to form, as reported by Hanna Arhirova (left),

"Russia unleashed intense drone and missile attacks overnight Wednesday, damaging critical port infrastructure in southern Ukraine, including grain and oil terminals, and wounding at least 12 people, officials said.

The bombardment crippled significant parts of export facilities in Odesa and nearby Chornomorsk and destroyed 60,000 tons of grain, according to Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry." (ABC Eyewitness News :19 July 2023) (my emphasis) 

As also reported by Zachary B. Wolf,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have declared open season on Ukraine’s consequential grain exports, targeting the port city of Odesa with new ferocity and jeopardizing worldwide food prices.

With the strikes on Odesa, Putin says he wants payback for damage to a nearly 12-mile bridge that connects annexed Crimea to the Russian mainland."  (CNN : 19 July 2023) (my emphasis)

Zachary B. Wolf : CNN : 19 July 2023

Zachary B. Wolf : CNN : 19 July 2023 

How, now, will the world respond to Putin, "[playing] roulette with the hungriest people in the world at the time of the greatest food crisis (USAid's Samantha Power : CNN : 20 July 2023)"?

 

(to be continued)