The Kremlin Can't Secure Victory Day - Jason Jay Smart

Vladimir Putin still has missiles, prisons, money, and men. But the deeper problem is now impossible to hide. Red Square, Victory Day, and Moscow's security posture are no longer just symbols of control. They are becoming proof that the Kremlin is spending more and more of its strength defending the system behind the war. Once the center of power starts looking exposed, the image of confidence becomes harder to stage.

That pressure is not coming from one direction. Crimea's supply structure is thinning. Fuel and industrial infrastructure are taking hits. The budget is widening early, recruitment costs are rising, and more of the burden is moving into civilian life. Ukraine is getting better at creating exactly this pressure, which means every new shock becomes harder and more expensive for Moscow to contain. This is bigger than one parade or one air-defense scare.

Putin can still inflict pain, and he can still prolong the war. But the harder question is whether the Kremlin can restore its buffers as fast as the war strips them away. Once Victory Day, Red Square, Crimea, fuel, state finances, and Moscow security all require protection at the same time, the pressure no longer looks temporary. It starts to look structural.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro: Putin’s Regime is Burying Itself
02:34 - Moscow Under Attack: Putin Cancels Victory Day
04:44 - Ukraine Strikes: Russia’s Military Logistics Collapse
06:30 - Russia’s Economy: The Federal Deficit Explodes
07:31 - Putin’s Paranoia: Why He Fears Russian Citizens
08:57 - Military Draft: Why Russians Refuse to Fight
10:06 - Viktor Orban: Hungary’s Secret Ties to the Kremlin
10:44 - Putin’s Dead End: The Final Collapse of the Regime