Is Putin About to Face His Most Dangerous Challenge Yet?

Edition No187 | 13-07-2025 - In this Silicon Bites, we’ll look at the latest comments of Russian patriots calling out their own army – not for its crimes but for its ineffectiveness, and inability to mount breakthrough offensives. There are rumours of North Korean troops being drafted to support, Putin’s “last throw of the dice” in a major summer offensive. We look at Russia’s brutal tactics and Ukraine’s defence. And finally ask whether economic and manpower strains in Russia mean that this is the last year in which Putin can maintain full combat operations. And how could an increase in Western support for Ukraine further pile pressure on Putin’s stretched resources. Let’s unpack Putin’s **last-ditch gambit** for a maximalist victory in Ukraine. ----------DESCRIPTION:This Will Break Russia: Unpacking Putin's Final Summer OffensiveIn this edition of Silicon Bytes, we delve deep into the rumored major summer offensive by Russia and its potential impacts on the war and Putin's regime. The episode examines Russian patriots' criticisms of their military's inefficacy, rumors of North Korean troops joining the conflict, and the overall sustainability of Russia's combat operations. Insights from key Russian figures like Igor Gerkin and Maxim Kalashnikov highlight the growing dissatisfaction within Russia. We also discuss Western support for Ukraine, the strategic importance of economic pressures, and how these factors might push the war towards a decisive turning point. Analysts warn that the coming months could determine the future of Putin’s regime, with significant implications for global geopolitics.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and Support Acknowledgment00:37 Russian Patriots Criticize Their Own Military00:51 North Korean Troops and Russia's Summer Offensive01:12 Economic and Manpower Strains in Russia01:23 Putin's Last Ditch Gambit02:11 Criticism from Russian Nationalists03:06 Strategic Surrender and North Korean Involvement05:24 Plans for a Large-Scale Offensive06:24 Challenges and Criticisms of the Offensive14:46 Economic Collapse and Recruitment Issues16:25 Western Support and Strategic Shifts17:57 Sanctions and Economic Pressure on Russia19:26 Conclusion: The Limits of Putin's War----------LINKS: https://www.ft.com/content/ef899f3a-3f93-4aef-824a-ecdd75f6dcc0 https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-10-2025 https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/ukraine-prepares-russian-summer-offensive https://www.economist.com/interactive/graphic-detail/2025/07/09/russias-summer-ukraine-offensive-looks-like-its-deadliest-so-far https://kyivindependent.com/russias-summer-offensive-becomes-its-costliest-campaign-during-ukraine-invasion-economist-reports-06-2025/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/29/russia-summer-offensive-fizzling-out-ukraine-putin/ https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/29/europe/russia-summer-offensive-kyiv-ukraine-intl https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/06/30/russia-military-challenges-summer-offensive/ https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/06/08/vladimir-putin-unleashes-a-summer-offensive-against-ukraine https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/06/08/vladimir-putin-unleashes-a-summer-offensive-against-ukraine https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-halts-russian-advance-in-sumy-syrskyi-says-summer-offensive-faltering-06-2025/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/11/ukraine-war-briefing-trump-poised-to-send-weapons-under-biden-style-drawdown-say-sources?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb ----------