Members of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle acknowledge to Ukrainian officials that he bears full responsibility for the ongoing war and Russia’s escalating losses, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a recent address. Zelensky described how Kyiv’s drone and missile strikes against Russian forces in Ukraine and targets inside Russia have generated a “toxic atmosphere” surrounding the Kremlin leader.

“Putin alone is the reason this war started and still hasn’t ended. He alone is the reason for the losses the Russians are suffering,” Zelensky said, adding that this viewpoint is increasingly recognized within Russia’s ruling elite and broader society. He did not provide further specifics about these contacts.

Despite some vocal critics emerging among pro-Kremlin commentators amid a nationwide fuel crisis linked to Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, there are currently no clear signs of divisions within Russia’s leadership. Recent dissent within the military has been swiftly suppressed, as illustrated by a soldier jailed on extremism charges last month after threatening mutiny over reported abuses but later retracting his statements.

Putin’s inner circle predominantly consists of hardline security officials connected to his former KGB career, along with influential oligarchs such as Yury Kovalchuk, whose support reportedly reinforces Putin’s hostility toward Ukraine and Western countries.

Ukraine has intensified its attacks beyond military targets, hitting warehouses of Wildberries, one of Russia’s largest online retailers. Kyiv maintains the company’s facilities supply equipment to Russian forces operating in Ukraine. These strikes have resulted in at least eight fatalities and the destruction of goods valued around 150 billion roubles (£1.4 billion), according to Forbes. Although these losses have sparked frustration, Russia’s strict control over domestic dissent limits the likelihood of open business opposition to the war.

Zelensky’s remarks coincided with the first high-level interaction between American and Russian diplomats since September, as Washington sought to revive dialogue on the Ukraine conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met for just over 30 minutes on the sidelines of a Southeast Asia summit in Manila.

Rubio indicated Washington’s willingness to cooperate with Moscow on unspecified issues despite Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began more than four years ago. He noted the war has hindered broader US-Russia relations but emphasized the desire to see the conflict end. Moscow and Kyiv, however, remain pessimistic about any near-term peace agreement. The Kremlin cautioned against “excessive optimism,” and Rubio affirmed that any proposal compelling Ukraine to cede territory would be unacceptable to Kyiv.

Rubio also suggested that future peace would require new approaches and concepts, which the US is prepared to offer if conditions allow. Russia reiterated its demand for Ukraine to relinquish full control of the Donbas region, an issue highlighted during Lavrov’s meeting. Moscow claimed that former US President Donald Trump had agreed to this demand during discussions last year, a claim Trump has denied.

Meanwhile, Russia reaffirmed its opposition to European arms shipments to Ukraine. Under the Trump administration, the US ended direct weapons deliveries to Kyiv, opting instead to supply NATO allies who then relay equipment to Ukrainian forces.