(MOSCOW) – Russian authorities have detained a regional politician after he publicly declared that Russia cannot win its war against Ukraine and should end the conflict immediately, according to independent media and rights monitors.
Grigory Yuramov, a 69 year old local politician from Russia’s Samara region, was arrested after delivering remarks during a parliamentary session in which he criticised the war and blamed the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin for its failure.
Yuramov was not a member of the State Duma but was invited to address lawmakers. During his speech, he said deputies should share responsibility for what he described as the failure of the so called special military operation to achieve its stated objectives.
He said Russia had failed over four years to meet its goals, including the overthrow of Ukraine’s elected government. He argued that these goals could not be achieved in principle, noting that since mid 2022 Russia had been fighting not only Ukraine but a broad international coalition supporting Kyiv.
Yuramov said more than 80 countries and international organisations were backing Ukraine, while Russia relied on a small number of partners that offered support only on a transactional basis. He said Ukraine received free aid and loans, while Russia’s partners demanded cash payments.
He also pointed to economic limits, saying Russia’s economy, which he estimated at about 2 percent of global gross domestic product, could not defeat the combined economies of NATO states, which account for more than half of global output.
Yuramov said Ukraine could not decisively defeat Russia either, arguing that Moscow would escalate to nuclear weapons if faced with conventional defeat, a position repeatedly voiced by the Russian dictator. He noted that nuclear war would have no winners.
His arrest comes amid heightened repression inside Russia as the authorities intensify efforts to suppress dissent linked to the war in Ukraine. Independent observers say arrests and prosecutions for anti war speech have increased sharply.
Separately, Ukrainian officials warned that Ukraine is entering the coldest week of the winter so far, as Russia prepares further strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Kyiv has urged international partners to accelerate air defence and energy support to protect civilians during the cold period.
Full update video here:
Russian Politician Declares Russia Can’t Win in Ukraine
