Putin Axes The Last Man Who Could Stop Him - Jason Jay Smart

[TexasTowelie]

Russia has just entered the most dangerous phase of the entire war and the real threat from Moscow is not coming from the front lines in Ukraine rather it's happening inside the rooms in Moscow where decisions are made.

This internal shift is most visible in the purging of the old guard. Vladimir Putin removed Sergei Ivanov from Russia’s Security Council on February 16, 2026, shortly after dismissing him from his Special Representative role for Environment and Transport. As a core member of the original St. Petersburg security circle, Ivanov’s exit suggests the system is now prioritizing absolute obedience over veteran restraint.

This tightening of the inner circle coincides with a critical breakdown in Russian infrastructure. Ukraine is systematically striking key war nodes: the Velikiye Luki oil depot, the Tamanneftegaz terminal, and the Metafrax Chemicals plant. These disruptions are amplified by nature, as abnormal ice stalls Baltic oil shipments and triggers new port regulations for reinforced hulls. This export squeeze drains state coffers at the exact moment the military requires more capital.

As resources vanish, the Kremlin pivots toward total domestic control. New measures target draft resistance and mobilization criticism while schools and universities are converted into hubs for drone recruitment and ideological programming. To secure the narrative, the state is promoting the Max messenger platform while throttling rival channels. This represents a final tightening of the information space as internal rivalries sharpen.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro: Putin Purges His Last Truth-Teller
02:16 - Kremlin Freefall: Why Putin’s Peer Group Is Vanishing
04:44 - Putin’s Successor War: The Rise of Alexei Dyumin
05:23 - Putin’s Private Army: Rosgvardia vs. The Russian Front
06:43 - Kremlin Successor Wars: Will Dmitry Patrushev Replace Putin?
07:26 - Russia’s NATO Threat: The Danger of Radical Escalation
08:12 - Ukraine Drone Strikes: Dismantling the Russian War Economy
09:32 - Russia's Ammo Crisis: Why Missile Production is Collapsing
10:05 - ATESH Sabotage: The Internal Shadow War Against the Kremlin
11:45 - Putin’s Family Business: The Truth Behind the Max App
13:04 - US Navy Deployment: How the USS Abraham Lincoln Impacts Russia
14:47 - Final Warning: 1.2 Million Russian Casualties