Russian Military Analyst Warns Midterms Won't Turn War in Russia's Favor

Despite most on Russia's state-run media channels rooting for GOP victories, some analysts believe that favorable midterm results will not significantly turn the tides in the invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. midterm elections are in full swing, with control of the House of Representatives and Senate up for grabs in what has been an intense cycle. Polls have long indicated a strong chance the Republicans will take control of the House, while Democrats have kept a steady edge in maintaining the Senate.

In a Daily Beastreport released on Election Day, Julia Davis, an expert on Russian media, revealed the ways in which Russian state-run television has been pulling for Republican victories in the midterms. Davis is the creator of Russian Media Monitor, a watchdog YouTube channel that reports on the country's news programs.

During a recent broadcast of a Russian program called 60 Minutes, Davis reported that expert Mikhail Khodaryonok downplayed any notion that GOP successes in the midterms would help the country's chances of success in Ukraine. This came in response to a clip of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a combative and fiercely pro-Trump Republican lawmaker, pledging that "not another penny will go to Ukraine" in aid if her party is in power.

"Let's not pay attention to the shrieks of certain marginalized representatives of Trump's wing," Khodaryonok said, showing irritation, Davis reported. "Broadly speaking, they don't represent the moods within the Republican Party. Military aid to Ukraine will continue."

Olga Skabeeva, the host of the program, broadly agreed with Khodaryonok's assessment, but still expressed optimism over U.S. Republicans gaining power, suggesting that they are some of the country's only remaining allies.

"The situation won't change for the better and we have to rely solely upon ourselves, on the Russian army. Republicans can't help us to hold on to Kherson," Skabeeva said, later adding, "There aren't many chances that the magnitude of the funding will change, but an everyday Russian keeps on hoping and believing. They've never followed the midterm elections so closely....We trust and believe in the Republicans. Do we even have any other allies?"

The rest of the remarks that Davis relayed from the guests were more strongly in favor of Republicans and the benefits they present for Russia. Political scholar Sergei Luzyanin expressed glee at the prospect of a more divided and caustic situation in Washington, believing that instability would ultimately help Russia.

"After the midterm elections, we'll see a glass jar full of poisonous American spiders, tearing each other up," Luzyanin said. "Go ahead and eat one another! It will be a frightening political process....It may also lead to tactical or strategic changes in their foreign policy....Get lots of popcorn and let's watch."

Newsweek reached out to the Republican National Committee for comment.