Putin's radicalisation and staged military displays scrutinised

Historian Beatrice de Graaf argues that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not irrational but has become increasingly radicalised, drawing on a historic "Orthodoxy‑autocracy‑nationalism" triad and emulating the Russian tsars. She cites his extensive use of imperial symbols and references to the Great Patriotic War as part of a broader ideological shift.

Separate reporting notes that Putin has been staging military briefings in camouflage‑netted rooms, a visual tactic meant to suggest frontline involvement. These staged sessions have been timed around contacts with former US President Donald Trump’s envoys and a NATO summit, with Russian officials claiming territorial gains that independent analysts dispute. The combined analysis highlights how image‑craft and ideological hardening reinforce Russia’s war narrative.