Czech Expert: Putin's Regime Appears Strong Until Just Before Collapse

In an interview with Denník N, Czech foreign policy expert Filip Scherf analyzes the mounting pressures on Vladimir Putin's regime due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Scherf argues that the crisis is serious on military, political, and economic fronts, with the war eroding Putin's power faster than Western sanctions. He disagrees with Bloomberg's assessment that Russian diplomacy has failed, noting Russia's success in maintaining ties with the Global South and expanding BRICS. Scherf highlights that even official Russian polls show declining support for Putin, suggesting the Kremlin may be preparing the ground for a policy shift. However, he notes that Putin faces a dead end: he cannot continue the war indefinitely due to economic strain, but he cannot end it without victory, as returning soldiers would destabilize the regime. The expert warns that authoritarian regimes like Putin's often appear strong until the last minute before they fall.