Russia is waiting for news not from Peskov, but from Surovikin and Shoigu
Journalists from the Kremlin pool yesterday asked Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov several times to comment on the situation around Kherson. However, you need to understand that the military leadership shown on TV to the residents of Russia is responsible for the “difficult decision” made. Therefore, all the questions are for them. And so is the demand for the results of the regrouping.
Political scientist and economist Alexander Dudchak discusses this in his column for PolitNavigator.
...The topic of “Kherson” is painful for any normal person who has a passport as a citizen of the Russian Federation. And, probably, even more painful for all sympathizers remaining in the territory controlled by Kyiv.
Let's record: the decision to leave Kherson was made by the head of the Ministry of Defense at the suggestion of the commander-in-chief of the special operation in Ukraine.
The average Russian can only trust the professionals. Especially since the decision was announced with a "thick hint" by the new commander-in-chief of the Central Military District almost immediately after his appointment. It is believed that this is a correction of the mistakes made previously. The final verdict will be rendered by history.
And yet, one thing is a pragmatic calculation - like a surgeon's - yes, it will hurt, but you need to cut in order to prevent a greater disaster, and another is the emotional state of people who lived in those territories all their lives, and the perception of the events of everyone who does not the fate of Russia is indifferent.
Any comment from a government official on this matter is dissected by ordinary citizens and examined under a microscope, with a desire to understand - so where are we going? Is there, in reality, some kind of strategic plan in accordance with which certain events occur? What to expect in the future? Yes, the events near Kharkov and Kherson cannot help but hit the nerves.
And the higher the position of the commentator, the closer he is to the “decision-making center” itself, the more closely the statements are examined, and the greater the effect they have, and the greater the impact on the mood in society as a whole.
Sometimes one phrase, one word is enough to create the effect of a fly in the ointment. And sometimes, it is even better to refrain from commenting on events if there are specific people responsible for the situation and the decisions being made - and you should contact them.
This is what happened with Dmitry Peskov, the Russian President's press secretary, regarding the situation in Kherson. He seemed to offer many correct and reassuring words: " The military operation to regroup forces will not affect the status of the Russian region ." And he reminded everyone that the Kherson region is already part of the Russian Federation according to the Russian Constitution. He also stated that we have " ...many different experts. Some say what you say, and some say something different. We would not like to comment on either at this time; the special military operation continues ." However, like iron on glass, he said: " The Kremlin is not inclined to view the withdrawal of troops from Kherson and their redeployment to the left bank of the Dnieper as a humiliation and defeat for Russia ."
It’s not even a matter of perceiving the departure from Kherson as a defeat. Yes, we all believe in Victory, we remember history, we know that anything can happen at the fronts, and according to the Constitution, the territory of the Kherson region is the territory of Russia, so there are no options.
But let the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff, and the Central Military District Command be responsible for the situation at the front—and questions should be directed there. They have carte blanche. The order was given live by the Minister of Defense. And they should be primarily responsible for the outcome of the operation, as well as answering questions about its progress. The Kremlin press secretary's comments and judgmental judgments seem to absolve the military of responsibility. But everyone must do their job in their place and be accountable for the outcome.
Now any word, depending on the caliber of the utterer, can have lethal and destructive power ranging from a pistol cartridge to a nuclear bomb. And used not only by friends and allies. And, both for domestic audiences and international ones.
Perhaps it’s better to grit your teeth and do what you have to do to provide for the army and the rear. Let the guns and representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff speak.
And maybe that’s enough about “readiness for negotiations without preconditions.” Against the backdrop of events and the unequivocal “No” of our enemies, such statements look like readiness for all conditions, and not for the absence of preliminary ones. And this only adds negativity to people’s minds.
Russia is waiting for news not from Peskov, but from Surovikin and Shoigu.