Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin ‘isolated’, may have put advisers under house arrest, Joe Biden says
- The US president’s remarks come amid reports that the Russian leader felt misled by his military on how Moscow’s invasion is going
- A Kremlin spokesman responded that it was Biden himself who was poorly informed
US President Joe Biden said Russian leader Vladimir Putin may have fired some of his advisers or put them under house arrest, and that it’s an “open question” as to whether Putin is fully informed on his military’s performance in Ukraine.
Biden told reporters at the White House on Thursday that “there’s some indication that he has fired or put under house arrest some of the advisers”.
“But I don’t want to put too much stock in it at this time because we don’t have that much hard evidence,” he added.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview that Biden’s comments were “a perfect example of disinformation of a head of state”. Asked if that meant it was Biden instead of Putin who was poorly informed, Peskov replied, “exactly”.
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Putin tightens grip at home, issues chilling warning to rid Russia of ‘traitors’
Biden’s remarks add to a steady drip of suggestions in Washington and by US allies of distance between Putin and his top advisers. The comments also build on indications of inner-circle dissent, such as the departure of Russia’s climate envoy and the unsuccessful bid by central bank governor Elvira Nabiullina to step aside.
Scant public appearances in the last month by Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, raised questions about whether he had fallen afoul of Putin.
