The media is having a field day with Putin's “angry” speech on Wednesday.

The Kremlin web site is currently accessible and the English text of the speech has been archived should the site become unavailable.

Here is the paragraph of that speech which is giving the chattering class the vapors:

But any nation, and even more so the Russian people, will always be able to distinguish true patriots from scum and traitors and will simply spit them out like an insect in their mouth, spit them onto the pavement. I am convinced that a natural and necessary self-detoxification of society like this would strengthen our country, our solidarity and cohesion and our readiness to respond to any challenge.

Given that this is a speech addressed to Russians and not the wider world, is this a call for national unity? Or a teaser hint of a coming purge of Putin rivals? What does this portend for the war in Ukraine?

I do not pretend to know the answers.