Part 4/7:
There’s mounting evidence that the Kremlin recognizes internal cracks and is attempting to shore up its authority. President Putin has recently replaced key military leaders, including the defense minister, possibly signaling a response to battlefield setbacks or internal instability. Public displays of military strength, such as decorating wounded soldiers in elite hospitals—a gesture that could be seen as propaganda—also reveal a sense of insecurity and a desire to bolster national morale.