British intelligence believes that Putin's visit to the headquarters of the so-called "special military operation" on December 16 was supposed to show collective responsibility for the failures in the war with Ukraine.
This is stated in the intelligence review of the British Ministry of Defense on Tuesday.
"On December 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Joint Headquarters of the Special Military Operation. In the video, Putin met with a number of high-ranking military personnel, including Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. He offered to make proposals regarding the next steps of the Special Military Operation," - British intelligence writes.
During this choreographed meeting, Putin apparently intended to demonstrate collective responsibility for conducting military operations in Ukraine, the review said.
"This demonstration was probably aimed at removing from Putin the responsibility for the military failures, the high death rate and the growing dissatisfaction of the population with the mobilization. The television footage was probably also intended to dispel rumors in social networks about the resignation of General Gerasimov," it said. in the message. in the message.
