Russia cannot win war, ex-colonel admits on state TV

THE Ukrainian invasion has put Russia at risk of “full international isolation”, a retired colonel has said in a rare broadcast of dissent on state television.

Mikhail Khodaryonok, now a military commentator, told the state’s flagship news show on Monday there was no good outcome for Russia in the war.

He said: “We need to view one million well-armed Ukrainian soldiers as a reality for the coming months. We need to take it into account that the situation for us will frankly get worse.”

While others on Rossiya 1’s 60 Minutes show toed the Kremlin line, Mr Khodaryonok suggested Ukrainians are “defending their homeland” and said Russia’s main weakness lies in its “full geopolitical isolation”.

“However we hate to admit it, the whole world is against us,” he said.