Mikhail Mishustin objected:

  - Even the great Peter the Great sometimes made concessions. He returned Azov to Turkey, and gave China several fortresses in Primorye. Yielded and Alexander II, in the Crimean War, and Nicholas II, and Tsar Mikhail Romanov in the war with the Commonwealth and Sweden. You can't always win. And sometimes it happens that wisdom consists in giving in now, counting on revenge later!

  Shoigu shrugged his shoulders and noted:

  "I don"t know if we will be able to hold on to power during the concession. If we give four regions to the Ukrainians, it will definitely be like a defeat. In the meantime, there is still money to continue the war. Is it worth it to panic? It might be better to mobilize a couple of million more soldiers and officers and end the war by taking Kyiv!

  There was a roar of approval from the Security Council. He was in a narrow circle and there were no faction leaders in him.

  State Duma Speaker Volodin nodded vigorously and confirmed:

  - Peace on the terms of the West and Ukraine is political death for us. And on other conditions it is unreal! And we still have the strength and resources to fight!

  Mikhail Mishustin shrugged his shoulders and remarked:

  - Did you ask the people?

  The Speaker of the State Duma confidently answered:

  - The majority of the population is still for the continuation of the war. Although such a percentage, to be honest, is declining!

  The acting president of Russia nodded and suggested:

  - Let's, then we will submit a similar question to a referendum, and ask the people. The first question: do you stand for peace with Ukraine and for negotiations, and the second question: do you stand for a war with Ukraine to a victorious end and without negotiations. I think that would be a strong move!

  The Minister of Finance and Acting Prime Minister asked:

  - The referendum is compatible with the election of a new president or ...

  Acting President Mishustin shook his head negatively:

  - Not! For three whole months we will not pull! The maximum time is to vote within two weeks. Referendums on the Crimea and the occupied regions were also held in a fire order. And here you need to do everything quickly and accurately!

  The finance minister remarked:

  - The expenses will be for the referendum...

  Mishustin interrupted:

  - There is no comparison with the costs of the war with Ukraine! Against this backdrop, it's just a negligible expense. So no need to drool! We will hold a referendum and, as the people decide, so be it!

  Matvienko giggled and asked:

  - How do you think people will decide?

  The Acting President of Russia confidently said:

  - As the people decide, so we will accept!

  State Duma Speaker Volodin remarked:

  - The result of the voting largely depends on the administrative resource. No wonder Stalin said: it doesn"t matter how they vote, it matters how they think!

  Mikhail Mishustin confidently stated:

  - In this case, it will be absolutely fair and transparent elections. And I and we want to know the opinion of the people! And as the people decide, so be it!

  Defense Minister Shoigu remarked:

  - Most likely, the people will decide to continue the war to a victorious end! And then if we want victory, then we cannot avoid general mobilization!

  The acting president of Russia nodded:

  - If the people decide so, then we will have only one thing to obey and fight until victory. And if the people speak out for peace, then what will the world be like!

  The Minister of the Interior remarked:

  - It's a fifty-fifty chance. People are tired of war. And the result of the referendum is not as predictable as it seems at first glance!

  Mikhail Mishustin nodded.

  - If the world is so even better! Without Putin, to continue Putinism is almost as impossible as Stalinism without Stalin. Something must change. Without a strong, albeit aging leader, we will not be able to pull off a confrontation with the West and a hybrid war too!

  Medvedev immediately noted:

  - I think a referendum should be held and approved! However, for this, according to the constitution, a decision and an IO is enough, but a more fundamental question is who will the party in power nominate for the president of Russia?

  The Acting President confidently said:

  - Whoever performs the duties of the president, he must go from the party in power to the elections! So that, firstly, there is no mess during the election campaign, and so that the presidential candidate can use all administrative resources to win!

  Dmitry Medvedey remarked:

  - I was already president, and for eight years I headed the government, and the head of United Russia. Vladimir Putin wanted to see me as his successor!