4 ms·
I'm not sure if 'face' is actually something that motivates Putin. But it essentially means an option he can spin as a win, or at least not a loss.
by zardo 5y ago
I'm not sure if 'face' is actually something that motivates Putin. But it essentially means an option he can spin as a win, or at least not a loss.
- moring 5y agoTowards who, and for what purpose, that's what I don't get -- except if the audience is the Russian population. Anybody in the western world has seen enough (or has been presented enough by the western media, if you're cynic) to make any attempt to interpret the outcome as "winning" futile.
- medvezhenok 5y agoSpecifically to the people who could overthrow him (I.e the security apparatus in Russia) as well as secondarily to the Russian people (who the security apparatus opportunistically pays attention to). If he retreats without enough of a “win”, he is done - hence backed into a corner.
- EGreg 5y agoI don't think he cares about being overthrown. I think he cares about Russia not being broken up / being relegated to something like Yugoslavia was. And he can be pretty ruthless in pursuing it.