Russian State TV Host Admits War 'Depletes' Country in 'Every Way'

A Russian television presenter has admitted that the war in Ukraine "depletes" Russia in "every way" and that many Russians want an end to hostilities.

A minute-long clip featuring Kremlin propagandist Olga Skabeyeva's comments was shared on Twitter by Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, on Tuesday.

"We are all adults and we are well aware that war depletes the Russian state in every way," Skabeyeva said, according to a translation of the remarks.

"At the same time we, being adequate and normal people, of course, are not capable of enjoying military action, war and each one of us, I am convinced, would like an end to hostilities."

However, she added: "We simply understand that this is completely unrealistic and impossible on current terms."

Skabeyeva, who has been dubbed the "Iron Doll of Putin TV," said many had "clung" to a recent article in The Washington Post that she said "allegedly reported" that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had been told by U.S. officials to "sit down" and "make a deal" to end the war.

"But if you open this article and start reading it carefully, it offers us three scenarios," Skabeyeva said.

She said all of the possible scenarios were unacceptable to Russia and "could only make us shoot ourselves."

"We can't go through with it because then it would make a 'special military operation' meaningless which means that we would betray both ourselves and our country," she added.

In an article coinciding with Zelensky's trip to Washington last week, The Washington Post reported that the Biden administration was eager to discuss Zelensky's thinking about diplomacy. It sketched out three potential models of what a negotiated end to the war could look like, including a Russian withdrawal from all Ukrainian territory it occupies, including Crimea and areas of eastern Donbas it seized in 2014. Another was withdrawal to 2014 lines and a third would involve withdrawal from the Donbas, but not Crimea.

Zelensky only backs a peace settlement on the basis of the first option—Russian withdrawal from all occupied territory, it said.

Russia's Ministry of Defense has been contacted for comment.

Twitter users linked her comments to the concept of the "sunk-cost fallacy," which describes a person's reluctance to abandon a course of action because they have already invested heavily in it, even after it becomes clear that abandoning the path is the better option.

"The human and material losses of this senseless invasion are sinking in," tweeted Joshua Cohen.

Skabeyeva "knows the war is 'depleting Russia.' But she clings to the sunk cost fallacy: Given the investment Russia has made, giving up now would mean the 'special military operation' would be all for naught."

Another Twitter user said Skabeyeva "should check definition of 'Sunk cost'. That is where russia is now with its war and it will get only worse."

Meanwhile, Lawrence Krubner noted that the tone of voice of Russian hosts has changed.

"Much of the arrogance is gone. They all seem to know how much trouble Russia is in," Krubner tweeted.

Another Twitter user, Emile Aboud, wrote: "Are the Putin propagandists realising that trials in The Hague for Russian officials are a real possibility? They are adopting a far less radical tone, almost one of appeasement. Emphasising that none of them wishes harm to Ukraine."