Before the election, Russian President Vladimir Putin could have ordered Russian troops to take Avdiivka and Kupyansk before the "vote" so that the dictator could have arguments in favor of his presidency. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) writes about this in a new review, according to UNN.
The Kremlin may have instructed the Russian military to capture Avdiivka and possibly Kupiansk before the March 2024 elections
Details
ISW believes that the Russian dictator's announcement of his candidacy for presidency at a ceremony honoring Russian troops fighting in Ukraine shows that the war plays a significant role in his election strategy. Therefore, he is not sparing the personnel to achieve success at the front.
However, the Russian government is concerned about the possible negative impact of public discontent amid the "meat storms" on Putin's image, so the Kremlin is stepping up censorship and will likely try to convince Russians, who are already beginning to show protest moods, that the army supports the government. This demonstration of the military's support for Putin's candidacy may be an insurance strategy in case the Russian military fails to seize more Ukrainian land.
Recall
Relatives of the occupiers storming Avdiivka complain in a letter to Putin that the Russian command is in a hurry to capture the city before the New Year, and therefore sends all available personnel to the assault.