Russian President Vladimir Putin has become more likely to appear in public. This probably indicates that the head of the Kremlin has become more worried about his popularity and the image of the Russian Federation, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Analysts have noted that Putin has been making more public appearances in Russian cities in recent days, and is also increasingly making statements about Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.. At the same time, for the first almost 10 months of the war, the Russian president practically did not appear in public, in particular, outside the Kremlin..

For example, on December 23, Putin visited the Instrument Design Bureau in the Tula Region and reportedly planned to visit the Uralvagonzavod machine-building plant in Nizhny Tagil on the same day.. True, the last trip was canceled at the moment.

“Such appearances are likely part of the Kremlin’s efforts to present Putin as a wartime leader and re-establish the dominant narrative in the domestic media space as Russia enters its second year of war.. Putin has consistently relied on personal performance throughout his reign, which has helped him create the image of an all-seeing and unchanging ruler.. Perhaps Putin is trying to create favorable conditions in the information space on the eve of the upcoming presidential elections in Russia in early 2024,” explained the ISW.

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As The Wall Street Journal previously wrote, Putin remains surrounded by an administration that upholds his belief that Russia will succeed despite mounting human toll and economic fallout.. Knowledgeable people reported that reports from the front end up on Putin's desk after a few days, which is why they often remain irrelevant.. Frontline commanders report to the Federal Security Service, or FSB, the successor to the KGB, which edits reports for Security Council experts who pass them on to Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, the lead hawk who helped persuade Putin to invade Ukraine.. He, in turn, sends reports to Putin.