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THIS is the moment a Putin puppet warns Russians need a wake-up call over the nation’s wobbly war effort as he concedes: “we could lose”.
Ukraine’s shock surge into Kursk has flipped the conflict on its head with Kremlin troops suddenly having to defend their homeland – and it seems fears within Russia are now mounting.
One of the Kremlin’s staunchest supporters sounds the alarm on state TV
Ukrainian soldiers have been showing off their nation’s flag in taken-over towns
Kyiv forces have stormed into Russia with a destructive advance Kursk region telegram channel via AP
Ukrainian drone strikes set a Russian airfield ablazeEast2West
Filmmaker and propagandist Karen Shakhnazarov sounded the alarm on Russian state TV, going against the grain of Kremlin-controlled media insisting Vlad‘s troops are keeping the Ukrainians at bay.
In vision that has since spread on social media, he said: “I believe that we should always proceed on the basis that we could lose.
“We could lose if such blunders continue.
“And this isn’t defeatism. This isn’t scaremongering.
“It’s simply a clear understanding of the price which we and our homeland will have to pay.”
Shakhnazarov referred to the last time Russian land was captured by a foreign power – to the Nazis in World War Two – suggesting today’s people might need the same sort of resolve to stave off Ukraine.
He said: “I’ll remind you that in 1942, in the most tragic days of the Great Patriotic War, Stalin gave a speech in which he directly said that we had virtually lost.
“Do you remember the words he said then? And then the turning point came.
“It seems we need some really powerful stimuli from within so that a situation forms in our heads of what will happen if we lose, and what will happen to us.”
An anti-Putin group of Russians fighting for Ukraine earlier urged their countrymen to quit Vlad’s army to battle against it instead.
The Freedom of Russia Legion put out a call on Telegram saying there remained an open invite for troops disgruntled with Kremlin chiefs to switch sides.
A statement called on them to surrender just as many of their “comrades” have already done.
It said: “For those who wish to continue fighting for a normal future for Russia, there remains an ironclad option to join the legion.”
The legion said Russian soldiers were dying for “another Gerasimov mansion”, hitting out at the much-maligned military Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
Rumours are swirling that Vlad is seething at Gerasimov for his flailing leadership.
Gerasimov, 68, has been accused of knowing that Ukraine’s invasion of Kursk was imminent – but decided not to tell Russian hierarchy.
Russia was caught off-guard by the surprise invasion of Kyiv troops, leading to a response of “disorder” and “disarray”, according to Britain’s Ministry of Defence.
A MoD intelligence update posted to social media said Ukraine had penetrated the region 10-25 kilometres deep.
Why has the Ukrainian invasion of Russia been so succesful?
A DARING Ukrainian military push into Russia’s Kursk region has become the largest attack on the country since World War Two.
Kyiv’s forces have seized scores of villages, taken hundreds of prisoners and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians.
After more than a week of fighting, Russian troops are still struggling to drive out the invaders.
Why has Russian military been caught so unprepared?
A long undefended border
Russia’s regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod share a 720-mile border with Ukraine – including a 152-mile section in the Kursk region.
And it only had symbolic protection before Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022.
It’s been reinforced since then with checkpoints on key roads and field fortifications in places – but not enough to repel a Ukrainian assault.
The most capable Russian units are fighting in eastern Ukraine, leaving the border vulnerable to attack.
Element of surprise
Ukrainian troops participating in the incursion were reportedly only told about their mission a day before it began.
The secrecy contrasted with last year’s counteroffensive – when Ukraine openly declared its goal of cutting the land corridor to annexed Crimea.
Ukraine ended up failing as troops trudged through Russian minefields and were pummelled by artillery and drones.
But in Kursk, Ukrainian troops didn’t face any of these obstacles.
Battle-hardened units easily overwhelmed Russian border guards and small infantry units made up of inexperienced conscripts.
The Ukrainians drove deep into the region in several directions – facing little resistance and sowing chaos and panic.
Russia’s slow response
The Russian military command initially relied on warplanes and choppers to try to stop the onslaught.
At least one Russian helicopter gunship was shot down and another was damaged.
Moscow began pulling in reinforcements, managing to slow Ukraine’s advances – but failed to completely block troops
The offensive, launched last Tuesday, has resulted in mass evacuation of Russian civilians in both Kursk and nearby Belgorod.
Pictures this week have emerged showing scores of Russian soldiers surrendering on their own soil.
Ukrainian outlet Want to Live, which seeks to broker surrenders, said the troops couldn’t be blamed when a lack of Russian leadership left them rudderless.
A statement said: “More than 100 Russians abandoned by their commanders made the right decision and surrendered.
“They can be understood.
“It is hard to conduct military operations when you are commanded by tyrants and embezzlers, and the flanks are ‘covered’ by (Chechen leader Ramzan) Kadyrov’s bandits, who abandon everyone and everything, just so as not to be captured themselves.
“And thanks to (Russian) General (Alexander) Lapin, who is helping us successfully advance in the Kursk region, just as in 2022 in the Kharkiv region, for the defence of which he was responsible.”
Now British tanks have rumbled into Russia with the offensive continuing.
Challenger 2 tanks are said to have rolled over the country’s northeastern border taking the fight to Putin.
Crack troops from Ukraine’s 82nd Air Assault Brigade charged into Kursk with the 70ton beasts which have been hailed as armoured snipers.
Britain donated 14 tanks last year and one was destroyed in battle during the previous summer counter-offensive.
A huge line of Russian soldiers were caught on camera with their heads in the turf after surrendering
Ukraine’s troops have rolled over the border with a convoy of armoured vehiclesREUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi
The warring nations continue trading missile blowsEPA/RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE
Russian reinforcements head towards the frontline amid their panicked defenceEPA/RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY
Reuters
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