Russian State Duma Deputy Publicly Declares War a Failure, Demands Swift End to Conflict

(MOSCOW, RUSSIA) – A sitting deputy of the Russian State Duma has openly declared that the Russian dictator’s war against Ukraine has failed and called for the swiftest possible end to the conflict, in what analysts describe as an unprecedented public breach of the Kremlin’s tightly enforced narrative.

Renat Suleimanov, a deputy from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF), stated in an interview with Russian outlet Kontinent Sibir that Russia requires the “swiftest possible end” to what Moscow officially terms its “special military operation,” the Kremlin’s mandated phrase for the full scale invasion of Ukraine.

The deputy’s remarks represent the first time a member of the Russian parliament has used the official tribune to openly criticise the Russian dictator and blame him for the failures of the war, according to Ukrainian political commentator Anna from Ukraine, who analysed the development in her daily war vlog.

Suleimanov stated that the war has now lasted longer than the Soviet Union’s involvement in the Second World War, which Russia refers to as the Great Patriotic War. He warned that the conflict is destroying the Russian economy, driving inflation and generating mounting social tensions.

The deputy noted that Russia’s military budget now exceeds 40 percent of the general state budget. He argued that this level of expenditure is unsustainable, as regional authorities are unable to pay salaries and the Kremlin has been forced to halve payments to contract soldiers, the primary incentive for Russians joining the armed forces.

The comments follow a growing wave of dissent within Russia that has spread from oligarchs to military bloggers and now to elected officials. The trajectory of criticism began with prominent business figures such as Oleg Deripaska, formerly a close associate of the Russian dictator, who spoke out after recognising substantial personal losses.

It then extended to regional governors who were dismissed after requesting air defence support, evacuation assistance and compensation payments for their constituents, receiving only internet shutdowns in return.

Military bloggers and social media influencers subsequently began documenting problems within Russia, attracting significant public support.

Among the most notable critics is Ilya Remeslo, a lawyer, blogger and former supporter of the Russian dictator who previously assisted in the imprisonment of opposition figure Alexei Navalny and who now calls for an end to what he terms “Putinism.” He remains at liberty, a fact that underscores the growing rift between the FSB and the presidential administration, analysts note.

Ukrainian Commentator Anna Danylchuk observe that the emergence of such criticism is remarkable in a state where dissent was effectively banned and carried severe consequences including imprisonment, enforced disappearances and suspicious deaths.

The criticism arrives ahead of scheduled Russian elections in September, prompting speculation that political actors are positioning themselves for a potential transition.

She suggested that while mass protests or democratic revolutions remain unlikely in a society with no experience of democratic practice, the conditions for a palace coup or Kremlin power struggle are demonstrably intensifying.