The re-coronation of Putin as Czar will not stem the tide of his upcoming defeat by Ukraine.

Finally Putin's handpicked successor has emerged from behind the scenes. Non other than Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia's Security Council and former head of the FSB (1999 - 2008).

As reported by Max Channon (left),

"Nikolai Patrushev, who is secretary of Russia's Security Council and has been tipped to one day succeed Putin, has previously issued a number of chilling threats aimed at the West.

He remains one of Putin's closest allies and has given multiple interviews justifying the invasion of Ukraine while providing his support to the Kremlin's hardline policies." (Express : 20 February 2024) (my emphasis)

As I wrote in my previous blog entry (02/05/2022),

"We now also learn that, as reported by IANS,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin may be forced to give up control of the war in Ukraine for days as he is set for cancer surgery, and will reportedly nominate hardline former FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev (right) to take temporary control of the invasion while he is under the knife, a Kremlin insider has claimed.
...

Such a move would be surprising since under the Russian constitution, power should pass solely to the Prime Minister [currently Mikhail Mishustin (left)], the Daily Mail reported." (Business Standard : 1 May 2022) (my emphasis) (cf. also :- Mail Online, The Mirror)" (Blog Entry : 2 May 2022)

In light of the increasing escalation of Putin's [Pu-truschev's] indiscriminate bombing in Ukraine, and his 'glove puppet' Dmitry Medvede's recent 'nuclear armageddon' threat, it would be dangerously foolish to assume that were Putin to become even more incapacitated than at present, that Patrushev would would draw back from continuing Putin's aim to restore the "imperial past" of Russia.  

As reported by the Associated Press (AP),

"Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Thursday took a co-pilot’s seat in a nuclear-capable strategic bomber on a flight that appeared aimed at bolstering his image ahead of next month’s election he’s all but certain to win.

Putin’s 30-minute flight in a Tu-160M supersonic strategic bomber also seemed intended to send a reminder of Russia’s nuclear might amid soaring tensions with the West over the fighting in Ukraine." (AP : 22 February 2024) (my emphasis)

AP : 22 February 2024
 

Underlining the increasing tensions between Putin [Pu-truschev] and the West, and as reported by Ciaran McGrath (left),

"A close ally of Vladimir Putin has lashed out at the West, warning his  country was ready to take “revenge” in another deranged rant. Dmitry Medvedev (right), the former President of Russia, vowed this week that there would be no stopping until Ukraine's government was "destroyed."" (Express : 24 February 2024) (my emphasis)

More disconcerting, however, John Leicester reports that,

"Russian forces threatened to shoot down a French surveillance aircraft patrolling in international airspace over the Black Sea, a signal of increasingly aggressive behavior from Moscow as its invasion of Ukraine struggles to make headway, French defense officials said Thursday.

“A Russian air traffic control system threatened to shoot down French aircraft in the Black Sea when we were in a free international zone where we patrol,” the French defense minister, Sébastien Lecornu (left), said on RTL radio." (AP : 22 February 2024) (my emphasis)

It is no wonder, as reported by Max Channon, that,

"Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (right) warned the West it was on the "edge of the abyss" of global conflict sending World War 3 fears soaring.
...
He said it was complete stupidity" to think Russia "is preparing to attack the Baltic countries". It comes just a day after Estonia's Prime Minister claimed the Baltic nation had thwarted a "hybrid operation" on NATO territory by Russian operatives." (Express : 21 February 2024) (my emphasis)

As I stated in my previous blog entry (19/2/2024),

"Putin and his 'siloviki' may have been emboldened by Ukraine's withdrawal from Avdiivka.

But, like his glove-puppet Dmitry Medvedev and his 'siloviki', this temporary euphoria of Putin belies a real fear that time is not on their side. (blog entry 19 February 2024)"

 This fear of Putin [Pu-truschev] and his 'siloviki' has been compounded by, as reported by Alexandra Brzozowski (left) that,

"EU member states on Wednesday (21 February) agreed to ban exports to three mainland Chinese firms and blacklist North Korea’s defence minister in new sanctions for the second anniversary of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
...
It also focuses much of its efforts on enforcing existing restrictions and targets some 200 hundred officials and entities, making it the largest package since the war started.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the agreement by the EU’s 27 countries and said it would further cut “Russia’s access to drones”." (EURACTIV:21 February 2024) (my emphasis)

 Further compounding Putin's [Pu-truschev's] fears, 

• Canada has signalled it's prepared to get behind a Czech Republic initiative to ship tens of thousands of artillery shells from different countries to Ukraine on an urgent basis. (Murray Brewster : CBC : 21 February 2024)
• Italy is set to sign a security agreement with Ukraine to help Kyiv strengthen its defence industry and fight hybrid threats such as cyber warfare, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday. (Angelo Amante : Reuters : 22 February 2024)
• The UK has announced more than 50 further sanctions against Russia ahead of the second anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions target individuals and businesses sustaining Russian President Vladimir Putin's war effort. (James Gregory : BBC News : 23 February 2024)
• The [US] Treasury Department plans to impose more than 500 new sanctions on Russia and its war machine on Friday as the U.S. vows to keep up its financial pressure on Moscow with the war entering its third grueling year. (Fatima Hussein and Ellen Knickmeyer: Associated Press : 23 February 2024)
• The UK will invest almost £250m in producing artillery shells for Ukraine as it pledges to stand with the country until the end on the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion. (Kate Devlin : The Independent : 24 February 2024)
• and, critically, "U.S. House of Representatives Democrats have begun laying the groundwork for a potential bid to sidestep Republican Speaker Mike Johnson and force a vote on a $95 billion security assistance package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, House aides said on Friday.
  Representative Jim McGovern, the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, filed legislation on Feb. 15 that could be used as a vehicle for a discharge petition, a rarely used procedural tool that eventually could force a vote on the bill if at least 218 House members - a majority of the chamber's 435 voting members - sign it. (Patricia Zengerle and Michael Martina : Reuters : 24 February 2024)

As Putin [Pu-truschev] is ramping up his indiscrimanate bombing of Ukraine, the US, EU, Canada, Italy, and Great Britain, are ramping up their support of Ukraine in its war with Putin [Pu-truschev].

Putin will, no doubt, be elected Czar of Russia in the 'rigged' upcoming presidential election in Russia.

But Putin's automatic crowning as Czar of Russia will not stem the tide of his defeat by Ukraine.

 

(to be continued)