European intelligence agencies divided over stability of Putin’s power

An anonymous intelligence chief from a European country told Reuters that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not abandon his military objectives and that his hold on power inside Russia faces no threat.

The same Reuters article includes a contrasting assessment from the head of Estonian intelligence.

According to the anonymous source, Russia is in no hurry and has no intention of retreating from its territorial ambitions.

“It is very hard for me to imagine that they will give up their goal of capturing the entire territory of Donbas… and Russia, essentially, is in no hurry,” he said.

The source does not expect a “major breakthrough” in the near future and described Russian society as resilient. He dismissed talk of internal pressure on the Kremlin as an illusion.

“It is wishful thinking to believe that the Russian leadership is somehow crumbling right now or that Putin is facing an internal challenge,” the source said.

The head of Estonian intelligence, whose view Reuters presents in the same article, assesses the situation differently. In his opinion, pressure on Putin within the country is growing: the Russian army has stalled at the front, sanctions are intensifying, and Russia has “few good options left in Ukraine.”