Maybe he was relying on his allies eg: General Surovikin. Nevertheless, he is correct to sense that many in the Russian Army are unhappy with how the war is panning out. But he is either miscalculating or misreading the situation, or see this as an existential crisis for himself and Wagner [1]
Interesting. In his TV interview of a month or so ago Budanov, head of Ukr intelligence was saying the war would end shortly through changes in Russia but was cryptic as to what. Maybe he knew this was in the works.