Russia’s scaled-down Victory Day celebrations highlighted mounting security concerns and the strain of the war in Ukraine, according to Chatham House analyst Grégoire Roos. Speaking to FRANCE 24, Roos said tighter security, internet shutdowns and fears of Ukrainian drone strikes created an atmosphere “closer to wartime protection” than national triumph, even as President Vladimir Putin continues to retain broad public support.
Putin must be really worried if he’s shutting down the internet for Victory Day. That’s not exactly a sign of strength.
Interesting how Grégoire Roos says the atmosphere is ‘closer to wartime’ — but most Russians still support Putin? That disconnect is wild.
Drone strike fears and tight security for a celebration? They’re pretending everything’s fine while clearly preparing for attacks.
This is the kind of conflict that leaves scars for generations. (0ae1dd)