Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
A guest on a talk show even questioned if Russians could trust the numbers coming from the Russian Ministry of Defence.
A guest on a talk show even questioned if Russians could trust the numbers coming from the Russian Ministry of Defence.
What is happening?
After more than three years of war, cracks are appearing in Russia’s once-confident narrative.
Even some of Vladimir Putin’s most loyal supporters are publicly admitting the campaign is faltering, Mirror reports.
As Ukraine holds the line and pushes back, Moscow is facing increasing scrutiny from within its own ranks.
The West stays committed to Ukraine
Despite Russian hopes that global support for Ukraine would fade, the opposite has happened.
Western countries continue to deliver military and financial aid. Washington and its allies remain firm, helping Kyiv defend its territory even as the war drags into a fourth year.
Trump and Vance voice doubts on Russia’s strategy
US-President Donald Trump recently criticized Russia’s efforts, pointing out that despite enormous spending, Moscow has gained “virtually no land.”
His Vice President, JD Vance, was even more direct, saying: “Russians have got to wake up and accept reality. A lot of people are dying and they don’t have a lot to show for it.”
Pro-war commentators start to shift their tone
Tatyana Montyan, once a vocal advocate of Russia’s invasion, now acknowledges the growing cost.
She warned that troop numbers are falling sharply and suggested a second wave of mobilization may be unavoidable.
The last one sparked a mass exodus of young men trying to avoid conscription.
Russia’s reserves may be spent
Montyan noted that in early September, Russian offensives slowed significantly.
“They may have committed their last reserves,” she said.
This assessment was echoed by Russian politician Dmitry Rogozin, who admitted: “It’s impossible to advance. There’s a deadlock at the front.”
“Heavy losses” and strategic failures
Pavel Gubarev, a veteran of Russia’s proxy wars in eastern Ukraine, offered a bleak assessment.
He described “incomparably heavy losses” among Russian forces and said Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries have dealt serious blows to Moscow’s logistics and strategy.
Numbers tell a harsh truth
Between June and August, Russia captured only 1,548 square kilometers—roughly 0.003% of Ukraine’s land.
In the same period, nearly 95,000 Russian troops were lost, according to Ukraine’s Deep State group.
That’s an average of over 1,000 soldiers per day for minimal territorial gain.
Dissent reaches Russian state TV
Even on Russia’s tightly controlled television, rare moments of dissent have surfaced.
One guest openly challenged the Defense Ministry’s claim that Ukraine had lost up to 2 million soldiers—pointing out that such a loss would mean the Ukrainian army couldn’t still function.
“It is a huge mistake to underestimate the Ukrainian army,” he added.
On-air pushback risks legal consequences
During the broadcast, the host pushed back, asking whether the guest believed the Russian Defense Ministry was lying—a dangerous question in wartime Russia.
The guest dodged the accusation but made it clear that blindly accepting official figures is unwise.
Public morale in Russia is fading
According to Ivan Stupak, a former officer with Ukraine’s Security Service, Russian citizens are growing weary.
“They are not ready to fight endlessly, contrary to what the Kremlin claims,” he told the Kyiv Independent.
The growing boldness of public figures hints at a broader sense of fatigue and disillusionment.
Propaganda’s limits are being exposed
Stupak added that Russian propagandists will keep talking—until they’re silenced.
“If they tell the truth and it causes harm, we will see it in the Russian authorities’ actions toward them.”
As dissent creeps into public broadcasts, it’s a sign the Kremlin’s grip on the narrative may be slipping.
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, which may have used AI in the preparation
