Chatham House senior fellow Keir Giles gave an insane evaluation of President Putin’s announcement of his executive order this morning, on mobilizing Russian troops and related measures. Giles, Senior Consulting Fellow for Russia and Eurasia Program, was interviewed by CGTN for his response. Chatham House/Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a de facto policy unit of the monarchy and British government.
Giles said that Russia has failed, and that Putin’s announcement today shows that “Russia hasn’t won on the battlefield,” and that’s why Putin is trying to evade all this with his actions. As for the nuclear issue, Giles said that Russia has issued the “same, vague hint at nuclear threat we have heard before.” He wants to play on our fears. But look at what is happening. The flights out of Russia are sold out. The Russian people are trying to leave.
As for the sentiment in the four Russian-speaking areas with the referenda coming up, there may be an “overwhelming pseudo-vote for Russia, like in 2014 in Crimea,” but that is all it will be. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUFg5c2dCJs )
