Vladimir Putin will be rubbing his hands together with glee after a “bumper” year and Christmas. At least that’s the sobering claim made by a world affairs expert who has also questioned his recent appearances.
He said: “We can’t be sure that Putin is Putin.” Professor Anthony Glees is a security and intelligence expert at the University of Buckingham and says that Putin is thriving in the uncertainty of upcoming elections globally as well as the war raging in Gaza.
And he believes the Russian president will be “heartened” by the conflict, he told the Mirror. Prof Glees said US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken are “telling [Israeli leader Benjamin] Netanyahu to stop bombing civilians” but “Netanyahu is giving the two-fingered salute to Biden and Blinken”.
“That’s a 20th Century war being fought in the 21st Century. A terrible war of revenge, breeding terrorism.” He added as a result it’s “wonderful for Putin…a bumper year, a bumper Christmas for Putin and his supporters.”
The coming year also means elections too – including in the US, Putin’s own country and the UK.
And Prof Glees says the prospect of Trump making a comeback will also mean Putin is hopeful as the former US president has promised if he is brought back into the White House for a second term he will “make peace” with the Russian leader within 24 hours.
The professor also said there is something “spooky” about the Russian leader. Putin met new British ambassador for Russia, Nigel Casey, in Moscow a couple of weeks ago but refused to stand any closer than 70ft – and Prof Glees said it could be because he doesn’t want anyone to get a close look of him.
He said there is “something very odd about him” and that “we can’t be sure that Putin is Putin.”
The expert also said there is only one way to burst Putin’s bubble and that’s for world leaders to continue and step up their support of the Ukraine and back Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s calls for arms.
He said: “If Putin can be pushed back then we can all breathe a sigh of relief in 2024.”
