(Kursk Region, Russia) – A prominent pro-Kremlin military blogger and propagandist has admitted that morale among Russian forces is dangerously low, with even senior officers urging for an end to what they now call a senseless slaughter in Ukraine.
Maxim Kalashnikov, a well-known Z-blogger and self-proclaimed “Angry Patriot,” recently visited the frontline in Russia’s Kursk region, where he recorded a candid interview with a senior officer of the Russian Armed Forces. The officer admitted openly that the Ukrainian defenders are far more resilient than anticipated and showed no signs of surrender. His remarks reflected growing frustration among Russian troops: “I would stop the war altogether… They are the same as us. They will not surrender. I would simply say: ‘That’s it. Stop.’”
Kalashnikov, a long-time apologist for the Russian dictator, shockingly agreed. He described the so-called “Special Military Operation” as a total failure, with no strategic advantage and countless Russian soldiers dying in what he now calls a “meaningless liberation campaign.” The officer further warned that those Russia claims to be liberating “hate us” and that the Kremlin’s promises of a swift campaign were “delusions.”
His remarks come as Russia escalated attacks on Ukraine in what is being described as one of the largest sustained assaults since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Waves of missiles and drones struck Ukrainian infrastructure in recent days, even as Russian troops try to secure gains in Ukraine’s Sumy region by forcibly evacuating entire villages to create a so-called buffer zone.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air strikes have been targeting Russian military positions in these newly occupied areas. Ukrainian drone units recently destroyed a Russian ammunition vehicle in Zaporizhzhia, forcing the enemy troops to continue on foot through fields littered with destroyed vehicles.
Back in Russia, however, the cracks within the system are becoming harder to ignore. Kalashnikov’s public admission of Russian failure marks a significant shift from typical Kremlin propaganda.
Worryingly, Russia’s thinning ranks are increasingly being filled by foreign mercenaries. Reports show that fighters from countries including Kenya, Ghana, Iran, China, Colombia, Egypt and Bangladesh have joined the Russian ranks, with many assigned to the 102nd Regiment. Over 1,500 foreign mercenaries from 48 countries have been recruited since February 2022, with an additional 14,000 North Korean troops reportedly deployed in the past year alone.
