Putin’s inner circle tell Ukraine Vlad is to blame for bungled war, Zelensky says as ‘toxic atmosphere’ around tyrant

VLADIMIR Putin’s allies are turning on him and have told Ukraine the tyrant is solely responsible for the war and losses on the frontline, according to Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian President said that the “situation on the front” combined with Kyiv’s strikes deep inside Russia is creating a “very toxic atmosphere” for the dictator. Volodymyr Zelensky during a press conference with Taoiseach Micheal Martin at the Presidential Palace in Kyiv Credit: PA A residential neighbourhood in Sloviansk was struck during a heavy aerial bombardment involving four guided aerial bombs Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Zelensky said Putin’s inner circle has “signalled” this to Ukraine and allies. He insisted that the Russian elite understands that Putin alone is “the reason this war started”, and that the message has been communicated to Ukraine. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! “Putin alone is the reason for the losses the Russians are suffering,” Zelensky added. “His inner circle understands this, signals it to us and signals it to our partners.” Zelensky further added that Russian society is “increasingly starting to feel it too,” but gave no further details. This comes as the Kremlin is bracing for expanded mobilisation, according to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The Russian State Duma passed a bill on Wednesday that allows people with criminal records, including for crimes related to drug smuggling and organised crime, to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence during formal mobilisation periods. Deputy Defence Minister Viktor Goremykin said it will expand the number of Russians eligible for military service to help the war in Ukraine. The ISW warned of possible unrest in Russia as a result of the mobilisation. Most read in The Sun Building on fire in the centre of Druzhkivka after being hit by a Russian aerial bomb Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Medics at the site of a Russian guided bomb strike on a private medical centre in a residential area of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine Credit: EPA Putin and his officials are said to be possibly preparing to declare martial law in anticipation. “Mobilisation remains a very personal decision for Putin and is ultimately contingent on his personal perception of the battlefield situation and the Kremlin’s stability, the latest briefing from the institute said. “It remains unclear whether he will make such a decision in the near future or what his mobilisation announcement would look like.” Away from mobilisation efforts, the despot is also desperate to downplay the mounting economic decline. Emergency employees work at the site of a medical centre damaged during a Russian air strike, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine Credit: Reuters After carrying out an attack against Russian lines, Ukrainian soldiers inspect and perform maintenance on a 2S22 Bohdana cannon at a combat position on the Donetsk frontline Credit: EPA Another nail in Putin’s coffin is the ongoing fuel crisis – the worst since the fall of the Soviet Union – caused by Ukrainian attacks on energy targets deep in the heart of Russia. Authorities have been forced to introduce rationing as supplies satisfy only around 65 per cent of demand, according to estimates by Ukrainian intelligence. Putin has tried to minimise the situation. While admitting to “difficulties,” he insisted that the rationing was merely “temporary” and would not affect the country’s “overall economic dynamics.” Earlier today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged Russia’s “staggering” losses on the frontline. He said Putin was losing “upwards of 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers a week”. Rubio added: “The war in Ukraine, I think, has in many ways impeded the ability of Russia and the US to find areas of agreement on other topics. “That doesn’t mean we won’t seek to find other areas of potential co-operation. “But by the same token … we’d like to see that war come to an end.” Comment now