Pro-Putin mouthpieces are starting to acknowledge that the invasion of Ukraine by Russia “is not going as planned” and that early triumph forecasts were “catastrophically inaccurate.”
An “opposition” lawmaker named Boris Nadezhdin said during a discussion on state television that Russia’s “colonial war practices” make it “totally impossible” to defeat Ukraine at the moment.
Additionally, he urged Russia to either step up its military operations or restart peace negotiations in order to put an end to the brutal conflict.
Although Mr. Nadezhdin’s criticism of the invasion was predictable, Kremlin spokespeople supported him on the political debate event.
It comes as pro-government politicians’ worries over a string of powerful Ukrainian counterattacks, which recently forced Russian troops to give ground, have grown.
We’ve been assured that everything is proceeding according to plan, the Kremlin-supporting political pundit Viktor Olevich told the NTV station on Friday.
Does anybody really think that the strategy was to abandon Balakliya, fend off a counteroffensive in the Kharkiv area, and fail to occupy Kharkiv six months ago?
Alexander Kazakov, a member of the State Duma, one of the houses of the Russian parliament, later acknowledged that Russia had suffered “a tremendous psychological hit” as a result of the counteroffensives.
Boris Nadezhdin, an ‘opposition’ politician, told the debate show it is currently ‘absolutely impossible’ to defeat Ukraine due to Russia’s ‘colonial war methods’
State Duma member Alexander Kazakov, one of the chambers of the Russian parliament, then admitted that Russia had been ‘dealt a severe psychological blow’
Russian President Vladimir Putin waves while visiting the opening of new International Centre of Box and Sambo on Saturday
Alexei Tomofeev, another political commentator, also warned that the war will continue ‘for a long time, for a very, very long time’ if the situation continues.
He added: ‘There’s an expert who said the Russian Army entering Odesa would be at risk solely from being hugged too tightly by the locals – the people of Odesa overcome with love for the Russians.
‘After February 24, all of us clearly understand that’s not at all what happened. Residents of Odea don’t want t hug Russian troops.
‘The same expert is constantly saying on federal TV that we should keep going all the way. If his expertise, his analysis was not simply erroneous, but criminally, catastrophically wrong, why should I listen to the opinion of the same expert who is saying we should go all the way?’
Opposition politician Mr Nadezhdin is a long-term liberal politician.
He regularly appears on political debate shows, suggesting he had knowledge that his sentiments would likely be shared across the panel.
But he stopped short of criticising Putin directly, instead slamming those that had advised the Russian President ahead of the ‘special military operation’ more than six months ago.
Mr Nadezhdin said: ‘Someone told him that Ukrainians will surrender, that they’ll flee, that they’ll want to join Russia. Someone had to be telling him all this.’
He added: ‘It’s absolutely impossible to defeat Ukraine, using those resources and colonial war methods, with which Russia is trying to wage war using contract soldiers, mercenaries, no mobilisation.’
‘I’m suggesting peace talks about stopping the war, and moving on to dealing with political issues.’
It comes as raging Russian nationalists called for Putin to make immediate changes to ensure victory in the Ukraine war after troops were forced to retreat amid a series of strong Ukrainian counterattacks on Sunday.
Derhachi District Mayor Vyacheslav Zadorenko, with a group of Ukrainian soldiers, rips a Russian flag in Kozacha Lopan, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, after the town was liberated
Neither Putin, nor defence minister Sergei Shoigu (centre left) have yet commented on the retreat
Ukraine’s troops on Saturday stormed east out of second city Kharkiv, smashing through Russian lines and liberating huge swathes of territory, including the key strategic city of Izyum along with several key transport and logistics hubs supporting Putin’s men in the Donbas.
The news prompted Chechen leader and Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov to publish an 11-minute-long rant on the Telegram messaging app, declaring that ‘changes must be made’ to turn the tide of the war.
‘If today or tomorrow changes are not made in the conduct of the special military operation, I will be forced to go to the country’s leadership to explain to them the situation on the ground,’ Kadyrov exclaimed.
Putin, who is Russia’s supreme commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu are yet to publicly comment on the defeat.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov meanwhile declined to answer directly when asked by a reporter on Monday whether the Russian president had confidence in his military leadership.
‘The military operation continues,’ Peskov insisted, avoiding the question. ‘And it will continue until the goals that were originally set are achieved.’