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Putin Humiliated as ‘Inevitable’ Victory Crumbles
The Daily Beast • • world
Key Points:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed a willingness to resume peace talks over Ukraine, proposing negotiations to start immediately after Russia’s parliamentary elections on September 21.
- Putin set strict conditions for any peace agreement, including full Russian control over Ukraine’s Donbas region, Ukrainian neutrality, security guarantees for Russia, and protections for Russian language and culture.
- Despite Putin’s claims of advancing Russian forces, independent analysts report that Ukraine’s counteroffensive, Operation Vivaldi, has reversed Russian gains, liberating territory and inflicting heavy casualties on Russian troops.
- The Kremlin’s narrative of an inevitable Russian victory contrasts with battlefield realities, as September marked Russia’s worst month for territorial gains since June 2023 according to the Black Bird Group.
- While Kremlin officials frame Putin’s peace offer as a gesture of goodwill, ongoing Ukrainian attacks, including a large drone strike on Russian polling stations, underscore continuing hostilities and Kremlin desperation.
