Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to halt the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognises the current battlefield lines, four Russian sources told Reuters, saying he is prepared to fight on if Kyiv and the West do not respond.

Three of the sources, familiar with discussions in Putin’s entourage, said the veteran Russian leader had expressed frustration to a small group of advisers about what he views as Western-backed attempts to stymie negotiations and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s decision to rule out talks.

“Putin can fight for as long as it takes, but Putin is also ready for a ceasefire – to freeze the war,” said another of the four, a senior Russian source who has worked with Putin and has knowledge of top level conversations in the Kremlin.

He, like the others cited in this story, spoke on condition of anonymity given the matter’s sensitivity.

  • mctoastersonEnglish
    3·
    1 month ago

    This history of Russia shows a willingness to throw bodies into the meatgrinder to achieve military objectives. While there are trained and professional forces fighting on the Russian side of this conflict, the lines have also been populated with conscripts, political dissidents, ethnic minorities, prisoners, and any other “human resources” that Putin doesn’t mind sacrificing. I doubt he is worried about troop strength.

    • fuckingkangaroos@lemm.eeEnglish
      3·
      1 month ago

      He’s absolutely worried about troop strength. Besides the fact that Russia is already getting screwed by a demographic crunch regardless of this war, Putin’s last mobilization was deeply unpopular.

    • DMBFFF@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 month ago

      The problem might not be so much the strength of the troops as much as their morale.

      AFAIK, Russian troop strength might have been good in February 1917.