Russia Causing Its Own 'Defeat' in Ukraine War: Former Putin Adviser

Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin adviser and political commentator, bluntly stated in a recent interview that "Russia has already taken several steps towards its defeat."

The ex-Vladimir Putin confidant made the comment to online Russian news outlet Business Online, predicting that Russian military shortcomings in Ukraine could lead to the "collapse of Russian statehood." That would happen, he said, if a galvanized Ukrainian military invades and occupies Russian territory, potentially dividing it into several parts.

"I think that the results of the year are catastrophic," Markov said, citing civil unrest within Russia that was unleashed by the West. "A special military operation, which was planned to be quick and effective, turned out to be slow and ineffective and grew into a long-term military operation."

Markov, a political scientist, advised Putin from 2011 to 2018 during his presidency. He has been a professor of international relations at Moscow University and is a former member of the Duma, Russia's parliament. He also contributes commentary to Russian and international media.

Aside from the tens of thousands of deaths and innumerable refugees resulting from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, "a huge qualitative shift" has occurred among Ukrainians in terms of anti-Russian bias, Markov told Business Online.

At the same time, the rest of the world views the Russian army "as extremely ineffective and incapable of solving combat missions," he said, leaving nuclear weapons aside. Part of that is due to the strengths exhibited by the Ukrainian military and the essential aid provided by countries like the United States and Great Britain.

"In geopolitical terms, we also see not a transition to a multipolar world but, on the contrary, a reset of the unipolar world, a significant strengthening of the United States, which has shown its enormous power, efficiency and ability to control political regimes," Markov said. "Western civilization today is more than ever consolidated around the United States."

Sanctions have greatly hindered the Russian economy and in turn affect the nation's citizens in numerous ways, he said, adding that the Russians in charge were "unable to predict the course of development."

Russian families, maybe three or four at a time for every one soldier, have been personally affected by the mobilization enforced by Putin. Countless thousands of Russians have fled the country, which also negatively affects families, Markov said.

"Both a special military operation and political work were carried out very erroneously," he said.

Markov's statements were shared on Twitter by Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs.

Gerashchenko said Markov is "now a passionate critic of Russian leaders and the war, like Girkin-Strelkov." He was referring to Igor Girkin, also known as Igor Strelkov, a former Russian intelligence officer who was pivotal in Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Another video tweeted by Gerashchenko showed Markov on Russian state TV, where he compared the Russian army's competence in Crimea and Syria with its war on Ukraine. After referencing reports that Ukraine boasts the 15th strongest army globally, Markov called it "an understatement."

"It is already in the top 10," he said. "It is an army equal in strength to ours."

Newsweek reached out to the Russian government for comment.