Putins 'siloviki is now 'quietly and desperately' isolating themselves from him.

 

 As Konstantin Samoilov (left) reported 9 days ago,

"Something has changed inside Russia. I dont' mean Putin lost an election. Or the army mutinied. 

Something quiter. And in many ways more dangerous. The system of absolute control that Vladimir Putin spend 25 years building is starting to slip out of his hands." (Inside Russia: 15 May 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)

         

Inside Russia: 15 May 2026  

He goes on to explain that, 

"Watch what's happened now.  

Russian officials on State television, in Duma hearings, Russian parliament hearings, in public speeches, have quietly stopped using collective language when they talk about the war and big political decisions what Putin makes.

It's Putin's special military operation, Putin's agenda, Putin's red lines, Putin's terms for negotiation. .... It's DISTANCING!!!" (ibid Konstantin Samoilov) 

Nowhere is this more apparant, as reported by Tim Lister and Svitlana Vlasova (left) today (24 May 2026) that,

"Kyiv came under a massive aerial attack overnight into Sunday, officials said, after US and Ukrainian authorities warned of a possible incoming Russian missile strike. 
... 
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered retaliation for a deadly Ukrainian attack. "

The attack comes after Putin accused Ukraine of a “terrorist” act, claiming that Ukrainian drones struck a college dormitory in Starobilsk, a Russian-occupied town in eastern Luhansk on Friday. The Russian president ordered the defense ministry to come up with proposals for a retaliatory response.  (CNN: 24 May 2026) (my emphasis)

This 'order' of Putin comes against a backdrop of,

• Russia forced to shut 400 oil wells (Konstantin Samoilov ) because of the successful and ongoing demolishing of Russia oil infrastructure
• 
  Russians banned from Europe.  Visa Applications Close After MORE THAN 500,000 People Flee Russia (Joe Bloggs (left): YouTube: 23 May 2026)
• Ukraine Retakes Strategic Territory: Controls Crimea Corridor. (Anna from Ukraine: 23 May 2026: YouTube) 
• As Ukraine escalates strikes inside Russia, the Kremlin betrays its concern with bluster about nuclear weapons and its neighbor Belarus joining the invasion. (Scott Lucas Worldview: YouTube: 24 May 2026)

 

Scott Lucas Worldview: YouTube: 24 May 2026 

And nothwistanding Xi 'fraternally' hosting Putin only days after Xi's summit with Trump, Liz Lee (left) and Ethan Wang report that,

"Moscow had signalled ahead of the visit that it was ​seeking further energy agreements with China, the largest buyer of Russian oil, including pipeline supplies and sea-borne shipments.
… 
Key issues such as gas pricing remain unresolved, and analysts expect negotiations could take years.
… 
"Russia needs this deal more urgently than China does after losing much of its European gas market, while Beijing still appears content to move slowly and preserve flexibility over future energy supply options." (Reuters: 19 May 2026) (my emphasis) 

Whilst Trump's continuing announcements about a peace deal having been reached between Iran and himself, and which thus far have always been contradicted by Iranian officials, Brandon Livesay (right) now reports that,

"US President Donald Trump says an agreement with Iran has been "largely negotiated" and details will be announced soon.
… 
"An agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalisation between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed," he said.

"Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly." (BBC News: 24 May 2026) (my emphasis)  

'If ', and this is a BIG ' If ', a deal has been reached between Trump and Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz resumes as a safe shipping lane for oil tankers as it did BEFORE the US/Iran war, this will isolate Putin even more from Russian officials on State television, in Duma hearings, Russian parliament hearings, and in public speeches.

It also signifies an even deeper collapse of Putin's 'vertical of power', so assiduously built by himself over his 25 years in power. 

Putins 'siloviki is now 'quietly and desperately' isolating themselves from him. 

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Neither Putin nor Trump can be seen to fail in Ukraine or Iran respectively.

In my last blog entry (4 May 2026) I wrote that,

"Both Putin and Trump now stand 'politically' naked before the world community. 

Their downfall is now imminent." (blog entry 4 May 2026)

As reported by AP News, 

"Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the conflict in Ukraine is nearing its end after he oversaw a military parade on Red Square commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II — a show that didn’t include heavy weapons for the first time in nearly two decades.
… 
Talking to reporters later, he accused Western “globalist elites” of arming Ukraine to defeat and break up Russia and declared that “I think the matter [i.e. his war with Ukraine] is coming to an end.” (AP News: 9 May 2026) (my emphasis)

 

AP News: 9 May 2026

AP News further reported that,
 
"For the first time, Saturday’s parade featured troops from North Korea, a tribute to Pyongyang that sent its soldiers to fight alongside Moscow forces to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region." (ibid AP News)

 It is interesting to note, as explained by Anna Danylchuk (left),

"Yesterday Zelensky allowed a parade to be held in Moscow. [Zelensky] published an order in which he allowed Russians to hold their parade in Moscow due to numerous humanitarian requests coming from the White House" (Anna Danylchuk: 10 May 2026: YouTube)

 

Anna Danylchuk: 10 May 2026: YouTube

 

And on the economic front, the Military Show reveals that the Russian economy is imploding.

 

As they report, 

 

"He [Putin]  has ranted and raved. And just like that he gave the game away. 

 

Even Putin admits it. It's over for Russia. Something big is breaking in the country right now as the brutal statistics show us that Russia isn't going to recover for 100 years. 

 

The Russian economy is down the toilet. ... And the worst of it is, not even the end of the Ukraine war is going to save Russia from the financial abyss into which its leader has led the country" (The Military Show: 24 April 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis) 

 

 

 The Military Show: 24 April 2026: YouTube 

 Trying to unravel Putin's 'crytic' statement that, "“I think the matter [i.e. his war with Ukraine] is coming to an end.", Steve Rosenberg (left) points out that a Russian newspaper wrote,

"Victory in the Special Military Operation [i.e. his war with Ukraine] that President Putin hinted on the 9th May may soon end is only possible if there is real success of [Russian] troops on the ground. It is possible these victories will have to be achieved with the help of demonstrative strikes on Ukraine with tactical nuclear weapons, a military analyst tells the paper" (Steve Rosenberg: 13 May 2026; YouTube) (my emphasis)

 

 Steve Rosenberg: 13 May 2026; YouTube

Underscoring that only,"strikes on Ukraine with tactical nuclear weapons" will realize Putin's  'crytic' statement that, "“I think the matter [i.e. his war with Ukraine] is coming to an end.", we learn from Sky News that,

"Ukraine war latest: Putin launches deadly assault on Ukraine with more than 700 drones and missiles

Ukraine has been targeted in another night of heavy Russian attacks. Moscow fired more than 700 drones and missiles during its latest attack, according to Ukraine's air force." (Sky News: 14 May 2026) (my emphasis)

This attack indicates Putin's utter desperation, especially in light of  his "damp squib" May 9th Parade that didn’t include heavy weapons for the first time in nearly two decades. 

Further adding to his desperation, as Dom Nicholls (right) explains, 

"This year, the tide for the battlefield may finally have turned [into Ukraine's favour]. .... 

In each month of 2026 so far, Ukraine has liberated more territory than it has lost, and taken more Russian troops off the battlefield than Moscow is able to recruit" (The Telegraph: 13 May 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis) 

 

The Telegraph: 13 May 2026: YouTube 

And as CNN reports, Trump arrives in China for a summit with Xi Jinping.

"US President Donald Trump arrived in China’s capital and was welcomed with a ceremony replete with pomp and pageantry for the start of a high stakes visit carrying global consequences, as the world’s two largest economies frame their trade relationship. 
… 
The US-Israeli war with Iran, and ensuing global energy crisis, looms over the trip. Trump is expected to encourage Xi to push China-ally Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint vital to oil trade, and agree to a peace deal." (CNN: 13 May 2026) (my emphasis)

 

CNN: 13 May 2026  

Like Putin now trying to extricate himself from his war with Ukraine, Trump is likewise trying to extricate himself from his war with Iran.

Putin must now be feverishly biting his nails, hoping that Xi Jinping thwarts Trump's attempt to get the Strait of Hormuz re-opened without Iran having any control over this 'globally' vital waterway. 

Neither Putin nor Trump can be seen internationally to fail in Ukraine or Iran respectively.

 

 

 

(to be continued)

The downfall of Trump and Putin is now imminent.

Ukraine's continuing success in destroying Putin's 'oil infrastructure' (Silicon Curtain: YouTube: 2 May 2026) is causing Putin to 'melt down into a puddle' as he finally admits to his 'siloviki' that Russia's economy is falling into the abyss of a deep "recession".  

As Jason Ma (left) reported,

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his concerns about the economy public as he vented frustration at aides and demanded they come up with solutions.

During a televised meeting on the economy Wednesday, he revealed that GDP shrank by combined 1.8% in January and February, adding that manufacturing, industrial production, and construction were negative. (Fortune: 18 April 2026) (my emphasis)

And as former General Ben Hodges (right) concludes in his analysis of the state of Putin's failures in the war he started in Ukraine, and the current state of his imploding Russian economy,  

"Putin admitting on the record that GDP contracted. 

Putin admitting that the numbers are below the governments own forecast
...
Putin calling for reports that explain "Why?"
… 
These are not the words of a leader managing a situation. … For Vladimir Putin, these are the words equivalent to a General radioing from the front that the situation is not going according to plan.
… 
Except this front is the entire Russian economy, and the General is the man who ordered the offensive." (Ben Hodges Report: 3 May 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis) 

 

Ben Hodges Report: 3 May 2026: YouTube 

And now Trump, his 'bosom buddy', has just announced that,

"President Donald Trump said the US will begin guiding some neutral ships trapped in the Persian Gulf out through the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday.

“The Ship movement is merely meant to free up people, companies, and Countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong — They are victims of circumstance,” Trump wrote Sunday in a social media post. “If, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.” (María Paula Mijares Torres (left): Bloomberg on MSN: 4 May 2026) (my emphasis) 

 

Live now From FOX: 3 May 2026: YouTube 

That 'small' financial lifeline thrown to Putin by Iran as they closed the Strait of Hormuz, and which has caused the price of oil to spike above $100, is on the verge of collapse by Trump's announcement that, "the US will begin guiding some neutral ships trapped in the Persian Gulf out through the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday." (ibid María Paula Mijares Torres.)

We should also be aware of the words of Tom Keatinge (left) (ibid Katya Adler (right)), Director of the Finance & Security Centre at the Royal United Services Institute, that,

"Despite the war in the Middle East, Keatinge says Trump, with his reputation for impatience, might pivot away at any moment from focusing on Iran if finding a deal with Tehran remains complicated.

He could then swiftly turn back to the Russia-Ukraine question. That, insists Keatinge, is why Europeans must take far more decisive action in Ukraine now than they have to date. (Katya Adler: BBC News: 3 May 2026) (my emphasis) 

Almost as if to pre-empt this possibility, France 24 reports that,

"European leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gather in Armenia Monday (4 May 2026) as they seek to navigate a fraught geopolitical environment under an unpredictable White House.

US President Donald Trump will loom large over the meeting of the European Political Community (EPC). It takes place in Yerevan, a crossroads between Russia and the Middle East – the two main issues on the agenda.

"Leaders from across the continent, with Canada as a guest, will discuss how to cooperate to strengthen security and collective resilience," European Council President Antonio Costa wrote on social media as he arrived in the Armenian capital Sunday.
… 
The EPC was initially perceived as an anti-Putin club," said Sebastien Maillard, a special adviser at the Jacques Delors Institute, a think tank.

"With the invitation to Canada, this initiative – which was initially driven by geography – is now taking on an anti-Trump slant." (France 24 on Yahoo News: 4 May 2026) (my emphasis)   

Some attendees at Yervan meeting:European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, 
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, NATO Secretary General 
Mark Rutte, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky
and Canada's Foreign Minister Anita Anand  

Both Putin and Trump now stand 'politically' naked before the world community. 

Their downfall is now imminent. 

 

 

 

(to be continued)