Former Russian colonel who criticized Ukraine war on state TV now says Russia can still win with its full might

A retired Russian colonel and current defense columnist who criticized the country's military campaign on state TV earlier this week reversed course and bragged about Russia's military might.

The Russian state's narrative about the war at face value was urged to not be accepted by viewers. By Thursday, he had changed his mind. He bragged about Russia's military might and condemned western-made weapons.

When a country buys Western-made equipment, it can malfunction in the middle of the battle, he said.

The Russian Federation is yet to utilize even one-tenth of its military- economic potential.

—Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) May 19, 2022

Earlier in the week, Khodaryonok appeared with a panel of guests and was surprisingly frank in his criticism of the professionalism and logistical failures of the Russian military.

The information tranquilizers should not be taken, according to the panel on Monday.

He ridiculed Russia's threats against Finland after it applied to join NATO. Last week, the long-neutral country signaled its readiness to apply to NATO.

In his appearance, the man said "Don't engage with saber-rattling with missiles."

On Monday, he urged viewers to maintain a sense of military-political realism. On Thursday, he criticized Ukrainian politicians who he claimed were celebrating military gains too soon.