UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 265 - NOVEMBER 12, 2022

The withdrawal of Russia from the city of Kherson leads to an ideological rupture between the war supporters and the Russian President Vladimir Putin, undermining trust in Putin's commitment and his ability to fulfill his war promises.

A Russian war supporter, Alexander Dugin, openly criticizes Putin - whom he referred to as an autocrat - for not upholding Russian ideology with the surrender of Kherson on November 12. Dugin said that this Russian ideology defines Russia's responsibility to defend "Russian cities" like Kherson, Belgorod, Kursk, Donetsk, and Simferopol. Dugin pointed out that an autocrat has the responsibility to either save his country all by himself or suffer the fate of the "King of the Rain," an allusion to Sir James Frazer's "The Golden Bough," in which a king was killed for failing to bring rain during a drought. Dugin also downplays the role of Putin's advisors, who failed to protect the Russian world, and noted that the commander of the Russian forces in Ukraine, Army General Sergei Surovikin, was not responsible for the political decision to withdraw from the city of Kherson. Dugin points out that the autocrat cannot rectify this deviation from ideology solely through public appearances, stating that "the authorities in Russia can give nothing else" and that "the limit is reached." Furthermore, he accuses the Presidential Administration of promoting a "false" ideology because it is afraid to commit to the "Russian idea." Dugin also referred to the use of tactical nuclear weapons, vaguely calling it "the end," and noted that the overdue Russian changes to the military campaign had so far had no impact on the course of the war. However, he also suggests that Russia must commit to the Russian idea rather than pursue the "stupid" use of nuclear weapons.

The complete Russian Offensive Update 265 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

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