The Ukraine war has long been a disaster for Russia.
But it gets worse, according to a confidant of President Vladimir Putin.
Moscow/Kyiv – Vladimir Putin and his power apparatus imagined the Ukraine war to be very different.
Within a few days, Kyiv was to be taken, the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyj deposed and a successor installed entirely according to Kremlin ideas.
A quick campaign of conquest.
This was also underlined by Russia's clearly premature success report just a few days after the start of the invasion.
Fr.de reports on this.
Instead, the Russian troops in the Ukraine war have had to retreat further and further in recent months, sometimes as far as their own national borders.
On top of that, they are faced with increasingly powerful and modern weapon systems, which the advancing defenders are taking from the hands of western supporters.
Possibly also Leopard 2 main battle tanks soon, some of which Germany has already passed on to allies.
Pictures of the Ukraine war: great horror and small moments of happiness
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Putin facing defeat in Ukraine war?
Former secret service agent speaks of Russian demise
At that point the general certainty of victory in the Kremlin could be over.
Even if Putin, his foreign minister Sergey Lavrov or Dmitri Medvedev, once president himself, naturally continue to broadcast them.
But despite the setbacks, what else can they do?
In the units at the front, however, there were already different voices.
And a former Russian intelligence officer who once played a crucial role in the Ukraine conflict also has doubts about Putin's success.
Igor Girkin, also known by the pseudonym Igor Ivanovich Strelkov, wrote on Wednesday on his Telegram channel, where he shares his views on the war several times a day: "I have the impression that we will 'go under' by the end of the year.
What do you think?"
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Russia in the Ukraine war: ex-separatist leader makes proposals for advance
Girkin, who played a key role in the 2014 annexation of Crimea, later led the separatists in the Donbass war and is being hounded by Ukraine with promises of a bounty on his head, has often been critical of Russia's tactics in Ukraine.
He also complained that Russia needed more offensive weapons, had to stop "gas and oil supplies to/from the so-called 'Ukraine'" and attack "the enemy's strategic communications".
If the proposals he had been making for months were not followed up by action by the end of spring, “defeat in the war could become almost inevitable”.
He also criticized the "three-month 'freeze' of mobilization activities," which made "another operational defeat inevitable."
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Gives military tips via Telegram and criticizes the Russian approach to the war: Igor Girkin takes on the Kremlin and is being hunted by Ukraine.
© IMAGO / ANP
Girkin versus Putin: Ex-supporters in the Ukraine conflict apparently for impeachment
Girkin is particularly critical of the work of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, one of Putin's closest confidants, and Valeri Gerasimov, who has been commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in the Ukraine war for a few days.
He also writes: "In my opinion, the Russian armed forces in their current state, with the current stock of ammunition and the available forces, are only capable of limited operations."
But the former separatist leader is also standing up to Putin.
The US think tank
Institute for the Study of War
reported a few days ago that Girkin had indicated that he would support the Kremlin chief's impeachment.
But not because he ordered the attack on Ukraine.
But because he seems to be failing to bring the war to a successful end from the Russian point of view.
In any case, Girkin doubts it more and more.
(mg)