Kremlin officials and propagandists for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale invasion admitted the defeat of the Russian army at the front. Now they are actively discussing its causes and trying in every possible way to remove responsibility from Russian President Putin. This is stated in the conclusions of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on September 13, 2022.
Source: American Institute for the study of war
“The Kremlin acknowledged its defeat in Kharkiv Oblast, the first time Moscow has openly recognized a defeat since the start of the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin never admitted that Russia was defeated around Kyiv or, later, at Snake Island, framing the retreat from Kyiv as a decision to prioritize the “liberation” of Donbas and the withdrawal from Snake Island as a gesture of goodwill”.
Russian officials now want to shift responsibility for Putin’s defeat to the poorly-informed military advisors within the Russian dictator’s circle. They are blaming the military for not noticing the presence of Ukrainian troops and equipment and neglecting Telegram channels warning of a possible counteroffensive by the Ukrainians in the Kharkiv region.
“The Kremlin’s admission of defeat in Kharkiv shows that Putin is willing and able to recognize and even accept a Russian defeat at least in some circumstances and focus on deflecting blame from himself.”
See also: Ukrainian troops liberated more than 300 settlements in the Kharkiv region
