JRL NEWSWATCH: “Vladimir Putin’s dictatorship; The Stalinisation of Russia; As it sinks in that he cannot win in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is resorting to repression at home” – The Economist
“… Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine … dream[ing] of restoring the glory of the Russian empire. … [but] ended up restoring the terror of Josef Stalin. … [H]e has unleashed the most violent act of unprovoked aggression in Europe since 1939 … [and] … is turning himself into … a 21st-century Stalin [at home], resorting as never before to lies, violence and paranoia. … [Thinking] Ukraine would rapidly collapse, … [Putin] did not prepare [Russians] for the invasion or his soldiers … [even] assur[ing] … elites … it would not happen. … [Putin is even] still denying … he is waging what may become Europe’s biggest war since 1945. … [Putin] has shut down almost the entire independent media, threatened journalists with up to 15 years in jail if they do not parrot official falsehoods, and had anti-war protesters arrested in their thousands. … [After failing to achieve] quick victory, Russia is trying to sow panic … starving Ukrainian cities and pounding them blindly. … [even] hit[ting] a [Mariupol] maternity hospital …. If [] Putin is committing war crimes against … fellow Slavs he [previously] eulogised … he [also] is ready to inflict slaughter at home. …”