Russian Propagandist Claims Donbas Victory Is Already Assured (Video)

(MOSCOW) – Russian state television used its flagship political talk show “60 Minutes” to push a renewed claim that Russian forces will sweep to an instant victory in Ukraine, while attacking Ukraine’s leadership, Western governments and anyone who questions the Kremlin line.

The programme, hosted by Olga Skabeeva, featured a panel that included journalist Dmitry Galkin, Rodion Miroshnik from the self proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, military analyst Igor Korotchenko and senior Russian lawmaker Alexey Zhuravlyov. Throughout the broadcast they argued that Russia’s future was secure and that Moscow’s decisions had already ended what they described as a seven year conflict.

Skabeeva said the Russian Federation had stopped a “terrible war” and claimed that Western countries had even prepared an evacuation for Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to Lviv. She suggested that the United States did not take Ukraine or its leadership seriously and insisted that Russia was now in a stronger and safer position.

Galkin argued that Russia’s actions were creating a wider conflict and warned that thousands of people could die each day if the situation escalated further. He said a major war involving many countries could follow because Russia’s moves risked a direct confrontation.

The host rejected this, saying Russian decisions would bring stability. She pointed to a new vote in the State Duma, which had unanimously approved an agreement linked to Moscow’s recognition of territories in eastern Ukraine. According to Skabeeva, no member voted against the measure or abstained.

The panel argued that previous Russian actions, including recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in 2008 and the takeover of Crimea in 2014, had not led to the large scale wars predicted by critics. They contended that Ukraine had not attempted to retake Crimea because of the presence of Russian troops and said the same situation would emerge in Donbas if Moscow deployed armed forces there.

Galkin warned that sanctions would damage Russia’s economy and reduce supplies of essential goods. Zhuravlyov dismissed these concerns, accusing critics of exaggerating problems and claiming that Russia had survived similar warnings after the annexation of Crimea.

The broadcast repeated familiar Kremlin narratives that blame Western governments for tensions and portray Russia as a victim of international pressure. It also mocked Galkin, suggesting he had left for Lviv because he could not accept Russia’s position.