Desperate Russia’s Wild Lies Leave Soldiers Waving Red Underpants

Russia’s bloody invasion of Ukraine continues to claim lives, as the Kremlin’s military leadership resorts to increasingly brutal tactics against civilians—including a ghastly attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv and other sites across Ukraine. In their comments on state television, prominent propagandists often reiterate that Moscow’s campaign of senseless brutality is designed to prompt Ukrainians to overthrow their government. Russian talking heads also resort to nuclear threats, which is always a sign that things on the battlefront are not going well.

Indeed, Russian propagandists and military experts are tacitly acknowledging sinking morale and widespread lying in their military. Despite sunny reports by Russia’s Defense Ministry, grim realities prompted the newest Minister of Defense Andrey Belousov to stress, “Making mistakes is acceptable; lying is not.”

Appearing on Tuesday’s broadcast of Vladimir Solovyov’s morning show, Full Contact, military expert Vladislav Shurygin revealed some examples of the dishonesty Russian authorities are having to contend with. Using the code 500s, he said that there are soldiers who have fled or refused to fight in Ukraine. Shurygin recounted, “I was talking to a Commander of one regiment, who said that their neighboring division did not support them, did not go into battle. Why? Because according to their list, there are 1,400 soldiers, but in reality, there are half as many. Tons of people are running around elsewhere, some did not come back from their vacations, but there is no desire to report it honestly, because there will be repercussions.”

Read more at The Daily Beast.