The Russo-Ukrainian war is often viewed through Russia’s top-down directives under President Putin. Yet this article argues that intragovernmental bargaining—beyond simple coercion—has shaped crucial wartime policies. The article examines how the Kremlin negotiated with domestic actors on the eve and during the war to limit defections and assign accountability for risky decisions. Such bargaining partially offsets the audience costs that arise if the war falters and shapes nuclear escalation discourse. This study challenges portrayals of Putin as an unrestrained strongman, showing that even personalist autocrats often seek buy-in from key domestic actors to sustain stability in high-stakes conflicts.