Kremlin lets state media tell some truths about Putin’s stalling Ukraine war: ‘Our people aren’t stupid’
- The policy shift towards allowing open criticism of the military comes amid fears that relentlessly upbeat propaganda was fuelling growing public doubts
- After months of reporting virtually nothing but battlefield successes, state television has lately been cataloguing Russian retreats and defeats
With its troops losing ground almost daily, the Kremlin has told some of its state media to start admitting some of the failings of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, worried that its relentlessly upbeat propaganda was fuelling growing public doubts.
The shift in policy over the last few weeks, described by people familiar with the Kremlin’s tight message management who spoke on condition of anonymity, has unleashed a wave of unusual public criticism of the military.
After months of reporting virtually nothing but battlefield successes, state television has lately been cataloguing Russian retreats and defeats – without the usual positive spin from the Ministry of Defence.
“We have to stop lying,” Andrey Kartapolov, a former general who now heads the Defence Committee in the lower house of parliament, said on a popular online talk show this week. “Our people aren’t stupid.”
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There is no sign the Kremlin will let the strictly controlled media go that far, of course, and no questioning of Putin or his decision to invade is allowed. But with little prospect its forces will be able to slow Ukraine’s counteroffensive soon, the authorities hope the appearance of less spin may help shore up public support.