‘Grandpa in a bunker’: is Putin losing control?

The Kremlin's recent release of a video showing Vladimir Putin casually meeting his high school teacher has sparked intense scrutiny over whether the Russian leader is losing control. Journalist Pyotr Sauer, reporting from Armenia, reveals a growing sense of disillusionment across Russia, where war fatigue, economic strain, and internet blackouts have eroded the public's trust in Putin. Despite his claims of victory, the war in Ukraine has cost half a million Russian lives, crippled the economy, and fractured the 'social contract' that once protected urban Russians from war's worst effects. Even elite insiders are silent out of fear, while pro-war voices like Telegram blogger Ilya Remeslaw have been arrested after daring to call Putin a war criminal. The nickname 'Dezbunkere'—'grandpa in a bunker'—has gone viral, symbolizing Putin’s isolation and aging. Yet, despite signs of instability, no credible coup threat has emerged. Putin remains in control, clinging to a narrative of inevitable triumph, even as drone attacks reach Moscow and St. Petersburg, and Russia’s global influence wanes. The West may not see a coup soon, but the cracks in the Kremlin’s facade are deeper than ever. The episode exposes a paradox: Putin’s propaganda seeks to project strength, but the reality on the ground—economic collapse, social unrest, and elite silence—paints a picture of a leader increasingly detached from both his people and the truth.