Putin trying to use Russian cross-border volunteer raid amid presidential ‘election’, says analyst
Dictator Vladimir Putin is trying to use the raid of Russian volunteers on Russian territory, Russian political analyst Ivan Preobrazhensky said in an interview with Radio NV on March 15.
"I would say that there is a struggle of interpretations," Preobrazhensky said.
"Vladimir Putin is obviously trying to use this event to intimidate Russians and declare Ukrainians terrorists. And, of course, to blame it primarily on the Ukrainian Armed Forces, on the Ukrainian army, recognizing that there may be some traitors there."
The dictator is confident that he has enough forces to hold back the breakthrough of Russian volunteers.
Preobrazhensky also recalled that recently, according to Western diplomats, Russia faced a major threat of a terrorist attack or some other similar event in Moscow, and before that, experts said that the Russian authorities themselves could organize a terrorist attack and blame it on Ukraine ahead of the "elections."
"Perhaps now the Russian authorities are trying to use this volunteer operation in this sense," the political scientist said.
“And now we will see some more ‘crucified boys’ or something that should cause Russians to rally around the flag.”
If this succeeds, the raid of Russian volunteers on the territory of the Russian Federation will have "the exact opposite result to what was originally programmed" – an increase in support for Putin and an increase in the legitimacy of these "elections" among Russians.
"But if the Kremlin fails to do this, if its propaganda campaign fails, the result will be the opposite," Preobrazhensky added.
“It will mean that the Kremlin is abandoning Russian citizens to their fate in the frontline zone for the sake of the 'elections' and Putin's reappointment.”
Three units in which Russian citizens are fighting – the Freedom of Russia Legion, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), and the Siberian Battalion – crossed the border into Russia on March 12 and announced the start of an operation to "liberate the Russian Federation from dictatorship." It is reportedly taking place in the Belgorod and Kursk oblasts of the Russian Federation.
The RDK announced on the evening of March 12 a second raid into Russia to "bring about the death" of Putin and the entire "Kremlin regime."
For its part, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the "destruction of 234 Ukrainian saboteurs" in the Belgorod and Kursk oblasts.
The Freedom of Russia Legion announced on March 12 that it had taken control of part of the village of Tiotkino in Kursk Oblast, and the advance continues. Local outlet ASTRA cited a source as saying that at least four Russian soldiers were killed and nine others wounded in massive drone attacks and volunteer raids on March 12.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin commented on the volunteer raid in an interview with propagandists, calling it an attempt to disrupt the "elections" in Russia and "gain a trump card" in the upcoming negotiations.
The Freedom of Russia Legion said on March 13 that the raid in Russia would last at least until the presidential "elections" scheduled for March 15-17.
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