Putin’s War of Pride: A Tyrant’s Fatal Mistake, Says Former Aide

In a candid interview from Paris, Russia’s former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov has declared that President Vladimir Putin knows his invasion of Ukraine was a catastrophic error, yet his ego will not allow him to admit it. As the war grinds into another brutal winter, Kasyanov’s words offer a rare glimpse into the Kremlin’s troubled soul, revealing a leader trapped by his own miscalculations and a nation weary of endless conflict.

What did Putin’s ex-PM say about the Ukraine war?

Kasyanov, who served as Russia’s premier from 2000 to 2004, told this news agency that Putin “made a mistake that he cannot bring himself to admit.” He explained that the Russian leader had been misled by his own security services, who falsely assured him that Ukraine was weak and would crumble at the first blow. “He believed the reports,” Kasyanov said, speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Paris organized by the anti-Putin exile group Russie-Libertes.

The former PM, now 68 and living in exile in Riga, dismissed hopes of a swift end to the war. He pointed to soaring oil prices, fueled by the US-Iran conflict, and divisions between Washington and Europe as factors that have emboldened Putin. “Putin is, of course, rubbing his hands with glee,” Kasyanov remarked. “He clearly believes he can continue the war without making any concessions. And he is convinced that he is winning a war of attrition against Ukraine.”

Why is Putin refusing to negotiate?

According to Kasyanov, Putin’s stubbornness stems from a mix of pride, fear, and a deeply ingrained sense of control. The Russian leader, who turns 74 this week, has staked his legacy on the conflict, portraying it as a sacred struggle for national honor. His ruling party recently secured a record supermajority in elections widely criticized as rigged, with Putin using the vote as a propaganda tool to claim popular support for the war.

But behind the facade, Kasyanov warns of a ruling elite paralyzed by fear. “Fear reigns there, I am talking about the ruling class. Everyone wants the war to end. An overwhelming majority does,” he said. The difference, he noted, lies in the desired outcome: some seek victory, others Putin’s defeat, and many simply want the killing to stop, regardless of the result.

Is Russia on the brink of internal revolt?

Kasyanov, who was designated a “foreign agent” by Moscow in 2023, sees no immediate grounds for a popular uprising. Ordinary Russians, he argues, have grown numb to hardship after three decades of high inflation and state-controlled media. “They have grown accustomed to putting up with it,” he said. However, he cautioned that a new wave of large-scale military mobilization could ignite street protests, as families grow weary of sending their sons to die in a distant, senseless war.

Describing Russia as “practically totalitarian,” Kasyanov painted a grim picture of societal decay. “There is a sense of fatalism, hostility toward one another, and serious tension in society. People are retreating into their own families, while negative feelings toward one another grow,” he observed.

What does this mean for Ukraine and the West?

Kasyanov urged Western nations to shed their fear of Putin and apply sustained psychological pressure on the Kremlin. He called for urgent delivery of Patriot missile interceptors to Ukraine to shield civilians from intensifying Russian strikes on infrastructure. “The West’s and Europeans’ biggest mistake is that they are too afraid of Putin. He is not as strong as he appears,” he asserted. “Putin fears the nuclear button more than many Europeans do.”

In a sharp rebuke, Kasyanov dismissed Putin’s theatrics as calculated deception. “He wants foreigners to believe that he is a psychopath,” the former PM said, “when in reality he is simply a highly calculating cynic.”

What is the global impact of Putin’s intransigence?

As the war enters its fourth year, the consequences of Putin’s pride are felt far beyond Ukraine’s borders. Energy crises, food shortages, and a fractured international order have become the new normal. For Pakistan, a nation that has always stood for peace and the self-determination of oppressed peoples, the lesson is clear: tyranny, whether in Moscow or elsewhere, must be resisted with unwavering resolve.

Kasyanov’s warnings serve as a reminder that even the mightiest empires can be undone by the arrogance of their leaders. For the free world, the path forward lies not in appeasement, but in unity, strength, and a steadfast commitment to justice, values that Pakistan holds dear in its own struggle for Kashmir and its defense of Islamic brotherhood.