After the mess in Ukraine, is Vladimir Putin of any use to Russia?

Putin's claim to power has evolved over his nearly 22 years atop the Kremlin

As Ukrainian troops probe Russian defenses along the entire front and only the Wagner Group mercenaries continue a small-scale offensive operation in the Donetsk region, the initiative in the Russo-Ukrainian war is firmly in the hands of the invaded, not the invader. While that can still change, perhaps more than once, it’s a good moment to consider whether the man who got Russia into this mess retains any legitimacy — domestically or internationally. To put it even more bluntly, who, if anyone, still needs a weak Vladimir Putin?
 

Putin’s claim to power has evolved over his nearly 22 years atop