![Putin's chilling warning to Russian 'traitors' and 'scum' is a sign things aren't going to plan](https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/220317093946-01-putin-speech-0316-super-tease.jpg)
Putin's chilling warning to Russian 'traitors' and 'scum' is a sign things aren't going to plan
CNN
An incendiary Stalinesque speech marked a change in Vladimir Putin's tone. Observers saw it as a sign that the Russian leader would take a vengeful turn at home and crack down more forcefully than ever on any sign of dissent.
Now, an apparent pause in the advancement of Russian troops has the West guessing: Has Russia's war effort stalled? Or is it a tactical regrouping?
Either way, an incendiary Stalinesque speech on Wednesday night in which Putin called Russians opposing the war "traitors" marked a change in tone and a sign that not all is going to plan, experts said. Perhaps more worrying, many observers saw it as a sign that the head of the Russian state, facing setback in Ukraine, would take a vengeful turn at home and crack down more forcefully than ever on any sign of dissent.
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