Putin cannot claim victory in Ukraine, Nobel winner warns

Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov warns of the possibility of nuclear escalation under Putin

Russian journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov has delivered a devastating assessment of Vladimir Putin’s war, saying Russia can no longer call the conflict a victory regardless of how it ends. The former editor of Novaya Gazeta also warned that escalating talk of nuclear weapons was becoming increasingly dangerous.

Russia’s silenced press tells the story

The offices of Novaya Gazeta in Moscow now stand largely empty after authorities revoked the newspaper’s registration and nationalised its printing presses. Its website remains blocked inside Russia, forcing readers to rely on VPNs to access its reporting.

Muratov, who shared the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for defending freedom of expression, said the crackdown had accelerated dramatically since the invasion of Ukraine. He estimates at least 1,500 people are now imprisoned for opposing state policy.

Muratov auctioned off his Nobel Prize medal to support UNICEF's humanitarian efforts to support Ukrainian refguees

‘You can destroy Ukraine, but not conquer it’

Muratov rejected Putin’s repeated claims that Russia is heading for victory. He argued that a war in which huge numbers of people have been killed can no longer represent success, regardless of the eventual outcome.

He warned that Russia could continue escalating until nuclear weapons were used, while stressing that nobody could know what was in Putin’s mind. His concern, he said, came from the repeated discussion of nuclear weapons on Russian state television and at official events.

Putin still holds the Kremlin in a grip

Despite economic disruption, Ukrainian drone attacks and growing domestic pressures, Muratov believes Putin remains firmly in control. He dismissed speculation about an imminent elite revolt, saying fear of the president is reinforced by the powerful Federal Security Service.

But the consequences of the war are visible across Russia, he said, pointing to disrupted mobile internet, fuel problems, political prisoners and attacks deep inside the country.

Journalists Antonina Favorskaya, Konstantin Gabov, Sergey Karelin and Artyom Kriger were jailed on extremism charges for five and half years

Behind the statistics are prisoners and graves

Muratov is particularly concerned about Russians jailed for opposing the war. He showed photographs of imprisoned journalists, activists and musician Pavel Kushnir, who died in pre-trial detention during a hunger strike aged 39.

Even under intense repression, Muratov said there were signs of quiet resistance. Supporters still approach his colleagues on Moscow’s streets — speaking softly, he said, but making clear that they have not forgotten.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74grmy2v7ko