Vladimir Putin has to put up with clear criticism from Igor Girkin.
The military blogger said Russia failed in the Ukraine war.
St. Petersburg - Russian military blogger Igor Girkin has criticized President Vladimir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine in his latest speech.
Girkin, also known as Igor Strelkov, was a former Russian intelligence officer and played a key role in the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Ukraine's eastern Donbass region.
He has given candid assessments of Russia's military failures in Ukraine and offered his opinion on the military shortcomings of Putin's army,
Newsweek
reports .
In a video he posted to his Telegram social media channel on Monday, Girkin said that Russia had already failed in its "special military operation."
He had already predicted this in May 2022.
He gave the speech to an audience in St. Petersburg.
Pictures of the Ukraine war: great horror and small moments of happiness
Pictures of the Ukraine war: great horror and small moments of happiness
Ukraine war: Russian production "disintegrates"
During the Ukraine war, Russian production "disintegrated" as the Kremlin was cut off from foreign supplies and products.
He then turned his attention to the Russian "generals and bureaucrats" directing the war in Moscow.
In his opinion, with these people in power, it was impossible to carry out "a real mobilization, a real preparation or a real war".
Although Putin announced the call in September, it has been "slowed down," supporting the view of many Russian military bloggers who say the country should be put on full war footing.
Girkin believes that the Russian armed forces cannot cope with the existing personnel.
Ukraine war: Russia's military effort 'complete failure'
"Therefore, our president has completely withdrawn from directing the special military operation and handed it over to the Secretary of Defense, who has poorly prepared his army," Girkin said.
"If you can call it preparation." He described the Russian military effort as "a complete failure."
It is currently unclear what consequences the speech could have for Girkin.
Vladimir Putin and Russia are known for at least locking system critics behind bars.
Many died after attacks.
(
mse
)