Putin on the Ritz: why so few big Russian rats have jumped ship
Top bureaucrats, officers and business leaders have more to lose than to gain by denouncing Russia’s Ukraine invasion
25 May 2022 - 19:10
When someone like Boris Bondarev, a Russian counsellor to the UN in Geneva, slams the door on his employer, the Russian foreign ministry, and on his home country, it’s only natural to wonder if Vladimir Putin’s system is showing cracks three months into the dictator’s disgraceful Ukraine adventure. The answer, however, is “not really”. Despite the relative failure of the invasion so far, prominent defectors are remarkably few in number. The Russian establishment is not about to implode...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.
From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.
For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.
Already subscribed? Sign in below.
Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.