- According to experts, this is probably the first time something like this has been assumed on television since the Russian invasion.
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| The reporter close to Putin, Alexander Sladkov, intervenes on a Russian television channel. / Twitter |
The lapse of a pro-Kremlin reporter: "We're losing a lot of soldiers...uh... "we're having a lot of success!"
A war correspondent, known for being close to the Kremlin and for his controversial statements encouraging Vladimir Putin to bet on nuclear weapons, has made an error of honesty when he was speaking on Russian state television. As reported in a live connection, the armed forces had suffered "enormous" losses in the war in Ukraine. But, aware of the consequences of his statements, the journalist immediately retracted to ensure that the Russian troops were having "great successes".
One of the propaganda strategies that is being followed in Russia to try to contain the discontent of society and maintain its support is to try to spread the perception that Putin's side is emerging victorious and intact from the invasion of Ukraine. That is why it is about censoring any information that shows a possible defeat on some front, or the exact number of Russian soldiers killed in combat is unknown.
Until now, with Putin fighting ahead, this strategy was relatively easy. But Ukraine's recent victories in Kharkiv, a Ukrainian region bordering Donbas, have ushered in a new phase of the war in which Zelensky's Army appears to be taking the reins in some areas. Asked about it, the Russian correspondent, who is covering the war from Donbas, admitted -apparently without realizing it- the withdrawal of the Ukrainian troops.
"People here are hoping that we will hit so hard that the enemy will end up on his back, in other words, in a knockout," Sladkov said, speaking live on state television channel Rossiya 1. He added: "We are losing a lot of people, we've been injured."
Seconds passed before Sladkov retracted his words and tried to fix it by claiming that the Russian side is having "great successes" and diverting attention to the strength of Russia's long-range aviation. "But once again, we didn't finish the job... what are people saying? We are winning on points. But we would like a knockout," he concluded.
According to a journalist from the British channel, the BBC, and an expert on Russia, Francis Scarr, this is surely the first time that something similar has been said on Russian state television since the invasion. "Judging by how he changed his address, I think Alexander Sladkov forgot who he was talking to," he said on his Twitter account.
I'm fairly sure this is the first time 🇷🇺 TV has said anything like this since the invasion
— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) September 13, 2022
Judging by how he changed direction, I think Alexander Sladkov forgot who he was talking to
"We're losing an enormous number of people. We have wounded. We're having.... great successes" pic.twitter.com/SLcNmYL4cq
Ukraine retakes more than 300 towns
Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said Tuesday that in the course of the counteroffensive against Russia in the Kharkiv region, more than 300 towns that were under Russian control have been retaken. "Since September 6, 3,800 square kilometers have been liberated, more than 300 localities. More than 150,000 of our people have been liberated from the occupation, which held them, hostage," she announced in televised remarks.
The deputy minister added that the objective of the Ukrainian forces is to continue with the counteroffensive until they completely retake the northeastern region and affirmed that this will happen "as soon as possible." Later, in a publication made on her Facebook account, Malyar stated that with the aforementioned data she referred to "confirmed figures" but that the extension of the territories retaken in Kharkiv is "almost double".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced last night that, as part of the counteroffensive launched at the end of August, Kyiv has managed to recapture more than 6,000 square kilometers of territory under Russian control in the south and east of the country. Among the liberated cities in the Kharkiv "oblast" (province) is Izium, which served as a base for Russian troops and whose control was vital for Moscow.
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