Ex-Russian commander calls out Putin on Ukraine, say he is on a 'planet of pink ponies'

Igor Girkin, a military blogger and ex-Russian commander, has made a suggestion about Ukraine launching an offensive in the future. According to Girkin, this offensive could potentially jolt Russian President Vladimir Putin and his supporters out of a state of unrealistic optimism. Girkin used the phrase "planet of pink ponies" to describe this state of mind.

Girkin's comments were featured in an interview that was shared on Saturday by a Twitter account called @TheKremlinYap. The account is known for sharing segments of Russian state TV, and the interview was posted with English subtitles to make it accessible to a wider audience, reported Newsweek.

Girkin has made predictions regarding Ukraine's potential next moves, suggesting that the Ukrainian army may carry out a series of "diversionary" strikes designed to provoke a significant response from Russia. According to the former Russian commander, Ukraine may employ tactics that could provoke Russia, such as striking at Russian territories.

"They (Ukrainian troops) are unlikely to set the task of capturing (Russian city) Belgorod ...That is fraught with the risk that the Russian bear will really stop sluggishly fighting back. He will get angry, jump out of the den, and start fighting for real," Girkin said.

Girkin is trying to give his forecast for the future offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He has a rich imagination. pic.twitter.com/aXSfdQW2iD

— TheKremlinYap (@TheKremlinYap)

In 1917, Belgorod was the location where Soviet power was established. However, the city was occupied by Germany in April 1918 and subsequently became part of Ukraine later that same year. It was eventually recaptured by Soviet forces in 1943. Girkin explained that Ukraine might not need to capture Belgorod, but it could launch a strike there to get Putin and his "entourage out of a state of being on a planet of pink ponies."

"But I think they'll do several so-called 'searches.' They'll show activity. They can advance a few kilometers, capture a few settlements, and impose defensive battles on us there. That is, our troops will have to knock them out of there. There will be a scandal, shouting, noise, and attention will be drawn to it. And they will indict the main blow somewhere else entirely," the former Russian commander added, according to the translated segment posted on Twitter.

Girkin, who is known for his criticism of Putin, has been offering his analysis of the Russian war in Ukraine since it started more than a year ago. He frequently highlights the weaknesses of Russian troops and evaluates the successes of the Ukrainian army.

In a warning issued last month, Girkin cautioned that the way the Kremlin characterizes the war could result in Russian troops being viewed as criminals. He pointed out that there is legal ambiguity surrounding the so-called Special Military Operation, and its status is not clearly defined.

"It is just unknown. The troops that are fighting now don't have any legal standing," he said in a clip on his Telegram social media channel tweeted by Twitter user Natalka and XSoviet News.

"This is why if this ends in defeat, not a single soldier will be able to say he was just following an order because from the legal standpoint, he didn't have the right to follow it. How can a soldier shoot a citizen of a formally sovereign state when no war has been declared? This makes him a criminal," he added.

Russian offensive slow in wake of strong NATO counteroffensive

In February 2022, Russian President Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, believing that his country would swiftly achieve victory over its Eastern European neighbor. However, Russia's plans were thwarted by a stronger-than-anticipated response from Ukrainian troops, who were largely supported and reinforced by military aid from Western countries.

In recent months, NATO member nations and other Western countries have supplied Ukraine with sophisticated military equipment, tanks, and artillery, in order to assist the war-torn country in preparing for a potential counteroffensive against Russia in the spring. The conflict has now spread to major Ukrainian cities such as Kyiv, Odesa, Kherson, and Bakhmut, which has been the site of a prolonged and intense battle.