Putin Faces Growing Dissent at Home Amid Prolonged Ukraine Invasion

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, 25 May 2026: In today’s press review, discussions center on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s diminishing backing amid the Ukraine war. Other major stories include a police raid on an opposition party headquarters in Turkey, underwhelming results from the Enhanced Games with only one world record, a 99-year-old’s aerial feat, and a study highlighting Hollywood’s bias against older women.

Russian strikes on Ukraine from the weekend continue to dominate headlines. The Guardian cites Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling the attacks ‘deranged’ on social media. It also suggests Putin is ‘trying to keep up appearances’ despite losing supporter trust. Fortune magazine reports an increasingly alarmed Russian elite, while The Atlantic states Putin can no longer hide his catastrophe and has lost control of the narrative.

In Turkey, the Daily Sabbah reports police evicting the headquarters of the main opposition party, the CHP. Liberation notes that Istanbul’s Bilgi University was closed on Friday, with President Erdogan announcing its reopening. Libération views these actions as part of Erdogan’s ‘authoritarian turn,’ while the Frankfurter Allgemeine contends that Erdogan will use any means to retain power.

The Enhanced Games, held in Las Vegas over the weekend, concluded with only one world record set by Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev in the men’s 50m freestyle. The Economist reports that 50 athletes competed for over $25 million in prize money, with the Enhanced company aiming to capitalize on the $6.8 trillion wellness and life-extension market. Despite expectations, few breakthroughs occurred, and the use of performance-enhancing substances raised health concerns.

Separately, Harry Heasman set a record as the oldest person to perform a wing walk, just days before his 99th birthday, as reported by The Times.

The Cannes Film Festival concluded with ‘Fjord’ winning the top prize, though it was a divisive choice, according to The Telegraph. Additionally, a study revealed that films are more likely to feature an actor named Chris or a talking animal than a woman over 60.

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