Before the war against Ukraine,  

Russian President Vladimir

Putin "controlled 80 percent of the country, and today - 20 percent.

Israeli political technologist Mykhailo Sheitelman told journalist Dmytro Gordon about this.

The expert noted that currently the Russian dictator can issue only those orders in which he is very sure that they will be carried out.

"Why did he take so long with this mobilization? He wasn't sure that it would work out, that they would listen, that they would even let him speak on TV. But suddenly they wouldn't? They would record it and not show it. And what would he do then? And there is no mobilization," Sheitelman noted.

According to the political technologist, some of Putin's decrees are "issued" retroactively.

For example, after the de-occupation of Kherson by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Putin did not make any statement at all.

"Putin's first speech after Kherson - do you know what it was dedicated to?... Because he gives Melitopol and Mariupol the title of cities of military glory for their opposition to the German fascists. I listened to it... (Laughs). And I say: "Stop.

Is it the most important thing now?

Is there nothing more urgent?".. And later at night on the website of the Kremlin, decrees appeared on the website of the Kremlin about granting Melitopol and Mariupol - these are two different decrees - the high title of "city of military glory" for the victory over German fascism. And then I realized: "Well, of course, this is a recording from May 9." In a sense, they recorded it before May 9, and did not show it, because they did not have time to take Mariupol until May 9," the political technologist emphasized.

The second wave of mobilization in Russia

Ukrainian intelligence reported that on January 15, Russia

plans to announce a new mobilization and recruit up to 500,000 fighters

. 

Russian publicist and oppositionist Andriy Piontkovsky noted that

the first wave of mobilization continues in Russia, although it is happening at a hidden pace.

"Mobics" are the last remaining weapons of President Vladimir Putin in the war against Ukraine.

Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov believes that the

Russians can advance in the spring from the areas they have already occupied in the south and east of Ukraine.

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