Possible Slip of the Tongue?

Since the "special operation" was launched by Russia the Russian government has not provided much when it comes to troops losses. While the rest of the world has been able to see the destruction of the Russian forces around Kyiv the Russian government has pushed forth the narrative that everything was going according to plan and troop losses were low. Even now with the Russians pushed out of the Kyiv region and the number of Russian deaths getting close to hitting 20,000 the government propaganda machine continues to hum along. 

That was until the Kremlin spokesperson today stated the opposite.

While it can probably be chalked up to a slip of the tongue Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated to Sky News 

"We have significant losses of troops and it’s a huge tragedy for us"

Since this runs counter to what the government is putting out the casualty count is either getting so high that they cannot cover it up anymore and have to address it or more likely Mr. Peskov, "misspoke" and by that I mean let the truth slip. For weeks now we have had on our TVs, on our papers, and on the internet images of the horrors that are going on and the bodies from both sides just lying in the streets unable to get removed due to the fighting.

No matter if Russian media edits out or tries to counter the casualty rate it is now clear that it is starting to get through and out there. The fact that such a high-ranking member of the government/media stated this is scary because it could mean that Putin could become even more desperate. While he has already destroyed every hospital in the Luhansk region he still could escalate further. 

Kyiv

While no longer in immediate danger from Russian troops Kyiv is far from out of the woods yet. Currently, they are still able to be struck by cruise missile launches and other sorts of aerial attacks if Putin decides to. Even in the territory that they have clawed back from Russia, there are significant safety concerns that remain. 

Since they began to withdraw the Russians at the same time were laying mines to inflict damage once they were physically gone. Areas have also been found to be booby-trapped and this is a huge concern that more civilians will accidentally come into contact with these explosives and set them off. Disease and contamination also are an issue due to the digging done at Chernobyl and the bodies that were left exposed for weeks in some of these cities. The radiation is an issue that will take a while to fully understand as Russian troops carried the contaminates with them on the way out of the country or until they perished along the way. How much and how widespread it is will be vital in understanding the true damage that the Russians caused. 

Mariupol

Since I am from Texas this siege is reminding me of the Battle of the Alamo where approximately 200 Texas soldiers faced 5,000 Mexican troops. The Russian military not only has superior numbers and arms but has cut off the city for the most part. However, those brave fighters in the city refuse to fold, and even as Russia has taken more territory Ukraine has severely limited the amount of movement that they can make now. Videos have also emerged of aerial strikes on Russian tanks by Ukrainians around the city showing that even here in an area they have surrounded Russia cannot manage to establish air superiority.  

Over the last couple of days, we have heard about how Ukrainians have been taking the arms off of Russian soldiers to replenish their ammo supply however reports are also stating that there are some smuggling corridors that fighters have been able to leverage to get Javelin systems into the city. This would make a ton of sense as it is stunning that Russia hasn't been able to just impress their will upon the city at this point. If these systems even just a few are in the city it would explain why Russian troops do not want to walk into something that would result in their deaths. It has been weeks since the city has had power and access to food and healthcare. Convoys that have tried to enter, even when agreed upon with the Russians, have been raided or turned back resulting in an untold number of innocent deaths. 

Final Thoughts

Russia has managed to disgrace itself at a level not seen since World War II yet continues to press forward despite the cost to not only the Ukrainians but the Russian civilians and economy. The odds of Russia defaulting are ever-increasing as the US forces it to use the reserves it has within its borders to prop up the Ruble right now and as soon as this supply is exhausted the currency will collapse. The radio communications that Germany intercepted about Russian troops gunning down civilians shows the truly barbaric nature that this army is operating under. Already to many innocent lives have been lost to this invasion. What Putin wants is something he cannot have and it is leading him down the path of distraction. Unlike other leaders he seems determined to bring everyone