drkohler said:
Next year are elections in Russia. Putin pretty thoroughly made it clear that "Anyone who is not behind me is dead". If they can't hide the fact for the Russians that their own air defence deliberatly shot down the plane, some measly field commander is going to drink tea/pass by a window soon. |
I don't know. If he wanted a display of strength he should have done it when Prigozhin was, you know, openly rebelling and marching to Moscow.
Remember how Biden was criticized for shooting down that Chinese balloon only and just only after it flew over the entire country? Now imagine if said balloon was doing something harmful enough to US interests to the point it made the president leave Washington.
That's basically what happened to Putin. To the point he felt innocuous enough that this idiot (who basically tried to coup the government or at least the military!) was flying around in his private jet around Moscow.
Not a good look, IMO.
