10/8/22
Russian Colonel General Andrey Kartapolov admitted the Kremlin’s military is facing a dire situation in Ukraine during a recent appearance on Russian-state television.
Kartapolov’s admission comes more than seven months after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Ukraine invasion on February 24. Kremlin officials first hoped for a quick defeat against their Eastern European neighbor. However, the “special military operation” revealed several weaknesses in their military including challenges recruiting and maintaining motivated troops as well as leadership issues.
These weaknesses, coupled with Kyiv’s stronger-than-expected response and Western military aid, has allowed Ukraine to launch its own counteroffensives to retake Russian-occupied territory in recent weeks. Ukraine has said it retook thousands of square miles of land in Eastern Ukraine, near Kharkiv—delivering a massive loss for Moscow that forced Putin to order a partial mobilization of troops.
Kartapolov, also the head of the Duma’s committee on defense, admitted that Russia is facing several challenges in Ukraine during the TV appearance, which was reported by journalist Julia Davis, the founder of the Russian Media Monitor and columnist for The Daily Beast.
“The lying has to stop,” he said.
He criticized the Ministry of Defense for not being forthcoming about Russia’s struggles in Ukraine—including that Ukraine is now “on our soil.” He added that the Russian people are finding out about Ukrainian successes “from the Telegram channels, our war correspondents, and from no one else.” He warned that officials not being truthful about the Ukraine situation could “lead to the loss of trust.”
“Our people aren’t stupid, far from stupid,” he said. “They see that they’re being disregarded—that they aren’t being told, not even the whole truth, but even part of the truth.”
Kartapolov said Russia calling on more troops to serve in Ukraine will not make a difference so long as they are struggling to “supply and equip” troops who are already fighting.
His remarks appeared to address the partial mobilization Putin ordered in September, which could see 300,000 reservist troops sent to the frontlines of Ukraine. The order has resulted in hundreds of thousands of Russians fleeing the country to avoid being called to serve, and experts have suggested it may not solve all of Russia’s Ukraine problems.
Kartapolov said that Russia’s “main problem” is its lack of reconnaissance—rather than troop issues.
“Not the forces, but the means of reconnaissance which could allow us to uncover enemy objects to the fullest extent. There are many objects, they exist, but every object requires force as well as certain quantity and type of munitions. Perhaps there aren’t enough of them today in order to complete all tasks,” he said.
Russian-state TV hosts and guests have defended Putin’s war, often parroting Kremlin talking points. They have also taken on staunchly anti-West and anti-NATO rhetoric, even making nuclear threats at times as tensions between Russia and the West remain strained.
Michael McFaul, the former U.S. ambassador to Russia, responded to the clip on Twitter on Saturday and tweeted: “Wow. No better evidence that Russia is losing its war in Ukraine than this.”
https://www.newsweek.com/russian-general-admits-dire-reality-putins-war-lying-has-stop-1750127
“State Duma Defense Committee’s head Andrey Kartapolov told a disappointed propagandist Vladimir Solovyov that aside from not having enough uniforms and equipment for its forces, Russia may not have enough munitions to destroy all of Ukraine’s infrastructure.”
Why do russians disgust me so much? I can’t wait until their crime-ridden, shit-stained, alcohol-soaked cretins have been completely defeated.
Corruption, genealogical curses, and foul spirits have done them no good. The way ruskie mir operates it cultivates the worst of the self inventory. When fighting such evil it is at times difficult to not let the darkness get a foothold in one’s own soul.
The Ukrainians are fighting on their own soil, not Russian soil. He did say the lies need to stop didn’t he? He could start with himself.
Liked Sir Oh’s comments.