Vladimir Putin’s grip on the system is slipping, presenting a glaring example of this in the state of affairs on the front lines. In a recent incident concerning the destruction of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station dam, Putin was briefed on the matter yesterday morning. During a meeting with representatives from the power and military sectors, the President engaged in a genuine detective narrative, seeking to uncover the culprits behind the incident.

First and foremost, it is worth noting that the incident was reported to Putin five hours later, as the authorities were hesitant to disturb his sleep. Furthermore, the military leadership had failed to establish a unified standpoint, providing conflicting information to the President. Their accounts ranged from attributing the damage to the Ukrainian Armed Forces or technical malfunctions to admitting the involvement of Russian troops and deflecting responsibility onto one another.

This state of confusion persisted throughout the meeting until Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, intervened and shed light on the situation. It had long been under consideration to target the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station for destruction, and Putin did indeed authorize the planning of such an operation. However, there was no explicit order to carry it out. Moreover, the President had recently been warned of the negative ramifications that would follow if the plan were to be executed.