The recent call for the Russian army to overthrow President Vladimir Putin by Georgy Zakrevsky, founder of the Paladin private military company (PMC), may represent the most significant threat of revolt that Kremlin has faced since last year’s Wagner mutiny. In a video posted on Telegram, Zakrevsky blamed all the military failures in Ukraine on Putin personally and accused the Russian president of causing all the country’s economic and social problems. He criticized Russia’s aviation industry for being practically non-existent, as well as the population dying out, becoming impoverished, and spiraling to death due to the decisions made by Putin. Zakrevsky’s PMC, which has around 300 members, has participated in wars worldwide, including Syria and Africa.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have already secured more than 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory in the Kursk Oblast, according to Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. The situation is becoming increasingly difficult for Putin, as it has become apparent that things are not going as well for him as he tries to portray them.
Despite the aggression displayed by Ukraine towards Moscow, the country still intends to proceed with peace talks but not directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine is considering a framework that could move forward even if the Kremlin refuses to send its diplomats for face-to-face meetings. This approach has shown success in the past, as evidenced by the July 2022 agreement allowing Ukraine to resume grain exports out of the Black Sea. Under this format, Russia and Ukraine worked on separate agreements, overseen by the United Nations and Turkey as intermediaries, without a direct Moscow-Kyiv accord.
However, Russia has rejected this proposal, calling it “completely unacceptable.” The world continues to watch the conflict unfold as both sides navigate their respective positions in the ongoing battle for control over the Kursk region.