The Russian commander of the “Vostok” Battalion fighting in southern Ukraine said on Thursday that Ukraine will not be defeated and suggested that Russia freeze the war along current frontlines.

Alexander Khodakovsky made the candid concession yesterday on his Telegram channel after Russian forces, including his own troops, were devastatingly defeated by Ukrainian marines earlier this week at Urozhaine in the Zaporizhzhia-Donetsk regional border area.

“Can we bring down Ukraine militarily? Now and in the near future, no,” Khodakovsky, a former official of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, said yesterday.

“When I talk to myself about our destiny in this war, I mean that we will not crawl forward, like the [Ukrainians], turning everything into [destroyed] Bakhmuts in our path. And, I do not foresee the easy occupation of cities,” he said.

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[–] AssortedBiscuits@hexbear.net 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Press X to doubt.

India ramping up trade in oil and gas with Russia while refusing to even offer the most milquetoast condemnation of Russia's invasion on the world stage haven't clued you in?

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Call me when they do more than not get involved.

India and China are fair-weather friends to Russia. India is also an increasingly close fair-weather friend of the West. Both the West and India see themselves as adversaries with China.

[–] ThereRisesARedStar@hexbear.net 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Call me when they do more than not get involved.

Russia's economy would have collapsed a year ago without India buying their gas.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 0 points 1 year ago

So you think the neutral action would be an embargo, then? Buying gas at a heavy discount doesn't seem very political to me, or to the Western leaders for that matter.