More importantly, though, war has become the ultimate tool for Mr. Putin to control the country and ensure that no one is off the line. It was brutally swung to dispel opposition from the country, turning a generation of opponents into exiles. This war can also serve as a perfect command of war in the system. As long as it continues, even the so-called systemic liberals – the pro-Western faction that maintains a key position within the Russian government in the economic and business world – will remain silent. Many of them are obviously unhappy. But when wars procrastinate, they don’t speak out.
On the other hand, the danger of peace is obvious. It will return the homes of a million troops and the civilian life of a group of senior veterans. What will they do? Warning signals were sent last month when one of Russia’s most prominent veterans and president’s envoy, Artem Zhoga, dared to criticize Mr Putin for possible mineral deals with the United States. “These resources are part of the strategic reserve and I urge colleagues in the region to ensure that they are preserved for the national interest,” Mr. Zhoga said. Notably, he did not mention the president.
This is an ominous intervention for Mr. Putin. Turning out from key government positions – even after the Department of Defense extensive restructuring, no veteran held a senior leadership position. They can’t afford to disconnect as the war continues. If peace is made, they will likely follow in the footsteps of former Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin targeting Mr. Putin and his regime. Of course, Mr. Putin cannot allow this to happen. In order to prevent the uprising of veterans, he must not end the war. His political survival depends on it.
Just as the economy has been completely reshaped into an economy that strives for war. The government has been reorganized to follow the Stalinist principle: “Everything on the front, everything is victorious.” Now, state institutions serve the military industrial complex. The most influential figure in the Russian economy is Mr. Putin’s long-time colleague Sergey Chemezov, who is now in charge of the state-owned military conglomerate Rostec. This tells you how to turn political power, war and economy into.
Some Russian business leaders believe the war has benefited even parts of the country from a long-standing economic decline. Once idle defense factories are now full of efforts to fulfill government contracts and create jobs. Unlike the pre-war years, when wealth was concentrated in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major cities, state funds are now flowing to economically frustrated areas of Russia. The Kremlin’s bet on military Keynesianism, using oil revenue to redirect the economy to meet the needs of war, has paid off a lot.
