"Vladimir Putin has asked oligarchs to donate to Russia’s budget in a bid to stabilise the country’s finances as he presses on with his invasion of Ukraine, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The comments by Russia’s president to a large group of prominent businessmen on Thursday made it clear that he is intent on pursuing the war to a victorious end despite the growing strains on the Kremlin’s budget." (Max Seddon (right): Financial Times: 26 March 2026) (my emphasis)
The current war between Trump and the Ayatollah in Iran, and the effective blocking of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, which has caused the price of oil to spike upwards of $100+, is not proving to be the "windfall" for Putin, as many expected.
"This "window" of of opportunity that Trump opened to Russians and Iranians when sanctions were 'temporarily lifted' will not save the Russian economy because the Ukrainian drones keep targeting Russia's export terminals just as the one in East Luga today, and Primorsk yesterday. And this is something that prevents Putin from saving his economy ..." (Anna From Ukraine: 26 March 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)
Similarly, Konstantin Samoilov (left) explains why Putin's so-called 'windfall' is not all that it seems. As he explains,
"But you know what, a very interesting phenomenon is happening. The volume of oil shipped from Rusia has actually dropped in the last month.
Furthermore, he reports that,
"The untouchable shield [of Russian gold reserves] has been melted down ... [Russian] Gold is being turned into working capital, just to keep the Russian [economic] machine breathing ..." (ibid Konstantin Samoilov)
And as a panicked Victor Orban (left) of Hungary fears losing in the upcoming Hungarian elections by continuing to block EU financial aid for for Ukraine, and threatening to,
" ... stop sending natural gas to Ukraine until crude oil flows on the Druzhba pipeline resume ... " (Anita Komuves: Reuters: 25 March 2026) (my emphasis),
"A bipartisan pair of US senators viz. Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis, are set to introduce legislation calling for sanctions to be imposed on senior Hungarian officials involved in obstructing aid to Ukraine.
If passed, the Block Putin act would require President Donald Trump to impose financial sanctions and visa bans on Hungarian government officials involved in the country’s purchases of Russian oil and gas, and who have sought to block support for Ukraine." (Financial Times: 26 March 2026) (my emphasis)
With the eyes of the world now focussed on the war between the US, Israel, and Iran, Anna Pruchnicka and Olena Harmash have just reported that,
Zelenskiy, who is visiting Saudi Arabia, said the agreement was signed ahead of a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman." (Reuters: 27 March 2026) (my emphasis)
As I wrote in my previous blog entry (15 March 2026),
"... it is now ironic that Trump, and even Saudi Arabia and other Middle East Gulf nations are knocking on the door of Zelensky to help them defend themselves against Iranian/Russian drones. (cf: BBC News, AP News, France 24) ."
"... argued that internal divisions are deepening among Russia’s top officials. He pointed to tensions involving senior figures such as Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov.
He also noted that state TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov has recently criticized key institutions, including the defense ministry and central bank.
“Every conflict drives a stake into the system, and I think the system will eventually explode,” the blogger emphasized." (Dagen.com: 25 March 2026) (my emphasis)
Which raises the question :-
"Why is Putin practically holding a gun to the heads of his oligarchs to save the Russian economy?"
UPDATE: 30 March 026: GMT 07.27
Will Stewart (left) and Paul Withers (right) have just reported that,
"Vladimir Putin is confronting rebellion from his staunchest Ukraine war supporters amid growing concerns about a potential coup. An extraordinary surge of pessimism regarding the conflict has overtaken the "toxic" Kremlin dictator's most devoted allies." (Daily Expreess on MSN: 29 March 2026) (my emphasis)
They further report that,
"Putin's own ultra-nationalist theorist Alexander Dugin (left) visited frontline troops and discovered them experiencing "a frenzied rage combined with despair.", and that,
…
"Russian leader's absence has been especially significant in recent weeks given an unusual wave of public discontent resulting from
ongoing mobile 
internet shutdowns, the blocking of popular messaging app Telegram (which intensified in the middle of this month), and the mass slaughter of livestock in Siberia over fears of disease," said political analyst Farida Rustamova (left: BBC Reporter)" (ibid Will Stewart and Paul Withers )
Is it any wonder that Putin has now to resort to 'proverbially' holding a gun to the heads of his oligarchs as his fear of a 'coup' hangs over his head, and as the Russian economy falls over the edge into total meltdown?
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