The Wall Street Journal writes about the only criticism of the Russian military campaign in Ukraine allowed by the Kremlin ― from Russian nationalists. These critics, in particular the infamous Ihor Girkin who took part in capturing Slovyansk city in Donetsk oblast in 2014, fully support the invasion of Ukraine. Their dissatisfaction concerns the effectiveness of the Russian military. They blame the government for not being thoroughly prepared for the war, and they are the only ones allowed to call the war a war and not a “special operation”, the article says. Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said those votes could be useful to Putin if he decides to escalate. Such criticism may even become the basis for the announcement of general mobilization, the publication writes. Interestingly, Putin had a closed meeting with military correspondents in June, the details of which were not disclosed. Some of the Telegram channels critical of the Kremlinʼs strategy have grown their audiences significantly during the full-scale invasion. Yes, Girkinʼs channel grew from 15,000 subscribers to more than 400,000. It is interesting that despite the new law prohibiting discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation, Girkin and other military bloggers were not subject to censorship.
The editors of The Guardian describe their vision of the unfolding of the war in Ukraine. Although the Ukrainian authorities are discreet about the recent explosions in Crimea, the destroyed Russian planes and ammunition have a very good effect on the morale of Ukrainians, the publication writes. In parallel with the Ukrainian successes in the south, the Russians continue their offensive in the east, although it is accompanied by significant losses among the Russian troops. Ukrainian strikes deep into the occupied territory do not fundamentally change the situation, but they harm the supply chains of Russian troops and weaken the enemyʼs position. And they also harm the morale of Russians, undermine trust in the military leadership of the Russian Federation and support the fighting spirit of Ukrainians. After all, writes The Guardian, Ukraine needs to continue to receive the attention and support of its Western allies, so stories of brave and successful resistance help with this. At the same time, Putin does not allow Ukraine to rest, and the joy of successful strikes on Crimea is overshadowed by the danger of escalation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
Politico writes about the dispute between the members of the cult band Pink Floyd: David Gilmour and Roger Waters appear to be quarreling over different positions on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The publication writes that Gilmour and Waters have been arguing for four decades, and the Russian-Ukrainian war gave them another reason to quarrel. Waters openly states that he considers Joe Biden "a war criminal fomenting war in the Ukraine" [he uses the obsolete "the Ukraine"] and also considers Taiwan part of China. Although Waters condemned the invasion in March, he later said he opposed "propaganda to demonize the Russians." Instead, David Gilmour fully supports Ukraine and even recorded the track Hey, Hey, Rise Up! together with Andriy Khlyvniuk. Gilmourʼs daughter-in-law is Ukrainian, and therefore his grandchildren are half Ukrainian, says the musician.