A leading Kremlin propagandist who regularly analyses the war in Ukraine stunned supporters after he admitted that Russia “cannot win”.
Maxim Kalashnikov, who shares updates on the military conflict on his popular Telegram channel, offered a dismal view of Vladimir Putin’s war effort. He even suggested that Ukraine could eventually invade Russian territory.
In remarkably candid comments, Mr Kalashnikov – a pen name – said that Moscow was increasingly relying on wounded soldiers at the frontline. The Kremlin propagandist and fierce Russian nationalist told viewers in a video: “I feel in my soul that the war might end somewhere in the vicinity of the North Caucasus. We don’t have enough troops. We even throw the wounded who haven’t been completely healed to the front.”
He said that battlefield struggles were behind recent Russian efforts to raise the prospect of peace talks with Ukraine, more than two years into the invasion.
Mr Kalashnikov added: “It’s a scary problem. It’s clear that, right now, there is a struggle to freeze the conflict. It’s clear that Moscow sees that it can’t win. Now everyone is talking about a truce, yes?”
The Telegram propagandist has previously criticised the high casualties suffered by Russia‘s military. He has also predicted that the conflict in Ukraine would spill over into a nuclear war between Russia and NATO.
The remarks come as the momentum along the frontline appears to be swinging back in Ukraine‘s favour, thanks to the delayed arrival of Western weapons.
General Christopher Cavoli, NATO’s top general, told the Aspen Security Forum that Ukraine‘s military has developed “a great strategy”.
He explained: “The Ukrainians right now for these past few months have been focused on defending what they have in the east, denying Russia the free use of Crimea and southern Ukraine to attack the rest of Ukraine, preserving their access to the Black Sea and generating force.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, that thanks to a recent conscription law, Kyiv has 14 new brigades ready to fight – but they are waiting for more weapons to arrive.
Meanwhile, earlier today, Ukrainian forces claimed to have shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jet in the Donetsk region.
Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces said on Telegram that the supersonic jet was “trying to fire at the positions of units of the Defense Forces”.
Also today, President Zelensky urged Sir Keir Starmer to “show your leadership” by helping to remove restrictions on how Ukraine can use weapons supplied by its Western allies. Addressing a meeting of the cabinet in Downing Street,
Mr Zelensky said being able to hit Russian territory would help prevent attacks on residential areas in Ukraine.