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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/28/putin-prepares-russia-for-forever-war-with-west-as-ukraine-invasion-stalls>
"One evening in late December, as Muscovites strolled along their city’s
brightly lit streets in anticipation of the end-of-year celebrations, a group
of old friends gathered for dinner at the flat of a senior state official.
Some of the guests present, which included members of Russia’s cultural and
political elite, toasted a new year in which they expressed hope for peace and
a return to normality.
As the night went on, a man who needed little introduction stood up for a
toast, holding his glass.
“I am guessing you are expecting me to say something,” said Dmitry Peskov,
Vladimir Putin’s longtime spokesperson, according to one of the two people who
separately recounted the evening to the Guardian under conditions of anonymity.
“Things will get much harder. This will take a very, very long time,” Peskov
continued.
His toast darkened the mood of the evening among the guests, many of whom have
said in private that they oppose the war in Ukraine. “It was uncomfortable to
hear his speech. It was clear that he was warning that the war will stay with
us and we should prepare for the long haul,” one guest said.
More than a year into an invasion that, according to Russian planning, was
supposed to take weeks, Vladimir Putin’s government is putting society on a war
footing with the west and digging in for a multi-year conflict."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
