Is a mood of pessimism appearing in Russia?
There is a growing sense that Putin's "senseless" decisions have isolated the leader. A well-connected business leader told The Guardian: "There's definitely been a shift in mood among the elites this year ... there is profound disappointment in Putin." He added that there was "a growing sense that some kind of catastrophe is looming".
"No one believes everything will suddenly collapse tomorrow," the source said. "But there is a growing realisation that utterly senseless, self-destructive decisions keep being made. People who once defended Putin no longer do. Any sense of a future has disappeared."