A commander of pro-Russian separatists from the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine was invited on Russian television to explain the latest defeats suffered by Moscow’s invading forces.

A separatist officer blames satellites for Russia’s defeatsPhoto: video shooting

“We are not military, so explain to us. This is not a criticism at all. Just explain so we understand. Why do we advance meter by meter, when they (Ukrainians) advance village by village? Why are they doing better now?” – asks Andriy Marotsiko, host Olga Skabeeva, in her show “Russia-1”.

“What is this connected with and when will the situation change?”, – asks Skabeeva, who was nicknamed the “iron puppet” of President Vladimir Putin. The TV presenter received such a nickname even before the complete suppression of the opposition in Russia due to her brutal attacks on opposition politicians.

“Let’s keep in mind that we are not working against Ukrainian troops. We are fighting NATO troops. They have huge resources! At the moment, their resources are superior to ours,” the separatist commander replies.

That NATO would send troops to fight on the side of the Ukrainians is a favorite conspiracy theory of Russian propaganda.

Marotsiko also says that the main resource of Ukrainians is information.

“They monitor our movements online from a satellite, monitor our fortifications. Naturally, this gives them great advantages, and their chances of success are much higher than ours,” says Marocchico.

Are pro-Russian separatists in Luhansk preparing for an offensive against Ukraine?

Interestingly, the camouflage used for campaign tents can be seen behind the separatist commander in Luhansk, indicating that he is at or near the frontline, suggesting that separatists in the region fear that the Ukrainian armed forces may also attack in their direction.

On July 3, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu personally informed Putin in the Kremlin of the fall of Lischansk, the last major city of Luhansk controlled by Ukraine.

But in the middle of last month, the leader of the Russian-installed occupation authorities in Luhansk, Leonid Pasechinyk, warned that Ukrainians “are on the borders of the republic” and that Kyiv troops are carrying out massive bombings.

His comments appeared only 3 days after the leader of the Donetsk separatists, Denys Pushylin, in turn, spoke about the “difficult” situation at the front in the context of the Ukrainian offensive in this region after the collapse of the Russian front in Kharkiv.

The Ukrainian army recorded new successes in Donetsk region and Kherson region

Panic among pro-Russian separatists in Donbas is considered one of the main reasons why Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to quickly hold referendums on the annexation of occupied Ukrainian territories.

The strategic city of Lyman in Donetsk region was recaptured by the Ukrainian army this Saturday, just a day after a lavish ceremony in Moscow to formalize the annexation of occupied Ukrainian territories.

On Monday, Ukrainian troops also managed to break through Russian forces in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, advancing 40 kilometers in one day after more than a month of heavy fighting there, resulting in heavy losses on the Ukrainian side.

An offensive also in the direction of Luhansk would put even more pressure on the already strained resources of the Russian army, but it is currently unlikely that the Ukrainians will be able to launch a three-front offensive.

Follow the latest events of the 223rd day of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HOTNEWS.RO.