Is Putin's tax hike against the people of Russia the end of his reign?

As Veronika Melkozerova (left) writes,

" Ukraine is making it increasingly difficult for Russia to hang on to illegally annexed Crimea thanks to an ongoing campaign that's targeting air defenses, rail links and water connections.

The latest blows were struck on Friday, when a joint Ukrainian navy and army operation hit a ferry crossing and oil terminal at the port of Kavkaz, located on the Russian side of the Kerch Strait that divides Crimea from Russia, Ukraine’s general staff said in a statement." (Politico : 31 May 2024) (my emphasis)

So much so that Putin is now scrambling around for yet more money from the Russian public to finance his war with Ukraine.

As reported by Alice Scarsi (right),

"The Russian government is planning a major tax reform hoped to generate nearly 3 trillion rubles (£26bn) per year.

A similar overhaul, which would introduce a progressive tax system and increase the contribution to the state budget made by corporations and higher earners, comes as the spending on the unlawful war in Ukraine continues to soar.
...
The Russian economy has been hit in recent years - not just by the cost of the invasion - but also by the Western sanctions that followed." (Daily Express on Microsoft Start :2 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as Rick Newman (left) reports,

"The Russian gas giant Gazprom was a money machine for the last two decades, enriching many insiders and helping keep Vladimir Putin’s government flush. But that run has ended, with Gazprom recently announcing it lost $6.9 billion in 2023, mainly because of Russia’s war in Ukraine and sanctions that have punctured Gazprom’s sales.

Like Gazprom, the whole Russian economy is beginning to crack under the twin strains of enormous wartime spending and withering sanctions." (Yahoo Finance : 2 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Yahoo Finance : 2 June 2024

And we now learn from the Daily Telegraph that,

"Ukraine has fired US-made weapons at targets inside Russia for the first time, according to Russian sources.

Russia’s ministry of defence and Russian military bloggers have reported that HIMARS, long-range artillery, were fired by Ukraine at Russia on Saturday evening." (The Daily Telegraph : 2 June 2024) (my emphasis)"

Furthermore, Tasos Kokkinidis (left) reports that,

"A Greek pilot has reportedly arrived in Ukraine becoming the first foreign instructor for the use of the F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine’s air force.

The foreign instructor is a flight officer of the Greek Air Force, as reported by Defencepoint.gr. To date, there has been no official confirmation from the Greek Ministry of Defense.

”The Greek Air Force has gained vast experience and expertise in the operational use of the fighter in air-to-air missions, especially in close air combat,” the Greek publication reported." (Greek Reporter : 3 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Beginning to feel the effects of Ukraine's use of western armaments on targets in Russia, the Hindustan Times reports that,

"Russian military expert has issued a threat to Europe. Yuri Baranchik, according to a Sunday Times report, revealed details about Russia's 'Operation Unthinkable.' This operation is reportedly Putin’s plan if the Ukraine war turns into a global conflict. Baranchik stated that Russia will eliminate the nuclear potentials of Britain and France within one day after carrying out Operation Unthinkable." (Hindustan Times : 2 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Hindustan Times : 2 June 2024 : YouTube

As per usual, and shaking his puny fists, Alice Scarsi reports that,

 "Vladimir Putin's close ally Dmitry Medvedev issued his latest nuclear threat against the West following reports multiple NATO countries have given Ukraine the go-ahead to use their weapons to strike inside of Russia.

Russia's former president and current deputy chairman of the country's Security Council warned his country being hit by Western-supplied weapons could be seen by the Kremlin as a casus belli with the capacity to spark a war with NATO." (Express : 1 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Underscoring Putin's mad scramble to finance his war with Ukraine, and his further threatening of global 'nuclear armageddon', Putin is now begging countries to not support Zelensky's Swiss Peace Conference.

As Tessa Wong (right) reports,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia and China of attempting to undermine his upcoming global peace summit in Switzerland.

He said Russia was trying to dissuade other states from attending the event, and that China was working to do this as well.

Speaking at an Asian security forum, he also said there were “elements of Russia’s weaponry” that come from China." (BBC News : 1 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Sticking in Putin's craw, therefore, is the fact, as reported by Karen Lema, Mikhail Flores, and Neil Jerome Morales that,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked his Philippine counterpart on Monday for Manila's participation in a high-level peace summit later this month, describing it as a "very strong signal" towards achieving peace in the war-torn nation.

In their first-in person meeting in Manila, Zelenskiy also thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr for his country's "clear position" on Russia's "occupation of our territories," while the Philippine leader assured him of his continued support." (Reuters : 3 June 2024) (my emphasis)

 Inquirer.Net : 3 June 2024 : YouTube

Putin's is now desperate to thwart Zelensky's Peace Conference in Switzerland, and those western bombs now beginning to rain down on his war industry in Russia itself.

Which raises the question, 

"Is Putin's tax hike against the people of Russia the beginning of his end?"

UPDATE  : 5 June 2024

As the Sun reports,

"The past three days have been Russia's deadliest in the entire war.

When asked about a Russian proposal to end the war in Ukraine, and whether the end of war was the best outcome Ukraine could hope for, US President Biden said: "No, it's not."

He told Time Magazine: "The Russian military has been decimated.

"You don't write about that. It's been freaking decimated."

He added: "Peace looks like making sure Russia never, never, never, never occupies Ukraine. That's what peace looks like." (The Sun : 5 June 2024) (my emphasis)3

The Sun : 5 June 2024

Furthermore, as reported by Danita Yadav,

"Putin Sees Rare Protest As Russians Demand Return Of Soldiers On Frontlines

A group of women knelt outside the Russian Defence Ministry on Monday to demand the return of their partners and relatives fighting on the frontlines of Ukraine.

As per AFP, 15 women, some with small children, assembled outside the ministry holding up hand-written placards saying "Bring my mobilised husband home".

This protest took place after Russia branded the organisation "Put Domoy" which calls for the return of the mobilised men, as a foreign agent under its law.

In a rare occurrence, officials from the Defence Ministry stepped out to meet with the women and told them that they could not bring back their relatives." (Outlook : 5 June 2024) (my emphasis) 

The writing for Putin is on the wall! 

 

 

 

(to be continued)