JRL NEWSWATCH: “In Russia, patriotic critics speak out on Ukraine war failures” – Al Jazeera
“While loyal to the Kremlin, a rising number of nationalist critics are taking aim at military commanders as they chart the Ukraine conflict on social media.”
“… [There is] a burgeoning group of ‘patriotic’ critics in Russia who support the war, but are concerned by Moscow’s handling of it. They generally avoid criticising Putin directly and instead frequently take aim at Russia’s top military brass for perceived incompetence or indecision. For now, they oppose peace negotiations … and call[ing[ [for] … mobilisation, large-scale air raids, and sweeping military reforms. … They include war correspondents and military bloggers, novelists and historians, longtime activists and political neophytes, and Russian soldiers and mercenaries …. Putin supporters, as well as nationalist and communist opposition members, have also been lashing out …. Since the start of the conflict in February, these groups have been firing up social media channels, amassing hundreds of thousands of followers. …”