The AP’s Russia team has carefully followed growing discontent, a faltering economy and a recent rare drop in President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating as internet restrictions interrupt daily life and Ukraine increasingly brings the war home to Russians.
Top Stories editor Brian Friedman worked with a writer who has deep knowledge of Putin and Russia to explain the pressures the Russian leader is facing and to make the link to the Foreign Ministry’s recent warning of an escalation in Ukraine.
The story proved both timely and prescient, coming on a day when a Russian drone crashed in NATO member Romania. That led to warnings of escalation by European leaders, including Estonia’s foreign minister, who said Putin’s increasing nervousness, driven by military setbacks, was raising the risks — just as the story had warned.
The story gave unparalleled insight into what might come next in the war, driving significant traffic and long reader engagement times, even on a day with significant spot news from both the Ukraine and Iran wars.
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