When Russian president Vladimir Putin sent his troops into Ukraine earlier this year, many feared he could take control of the country within days. Fast forward eight months, the momentum is with the Ukrainians who have made serious gains with their counteroffensive in recent weeks. Before the conflict, it was thought that Moscow's military was superior, but the war has laid bare Russia's flaws in combat.
Even Russian soldiers themselves have been heard expressing dismay at the conditions they are living in and the lack of equipment at their disposal. Earlier this month, independent media shared video footage which showed Russian troops lamenting the "inhumane" conditions they have endured while fighting in Ukraine.
The footage, obtained by The Insider and reported by The Moscow Times, showed soldiers sleeping on the floor and struggling with outdated weaponry. The men were staying at their base in Belgorod, a Russian city close to the Ukrainian border. One man was heard saying: “Nobody needs us."
This was followed by another soldier's voice, who said: “We’ve lived in animal conditions for a week. We’ve spent an absurd amount of money just to feed ourselves, not to mention on ammunition.”
The wives of the soldiers were also forced to spend as much as £2,000 to equip their husbands, The Insider reported, indicating just how unorganised the Russian military has become.
British intelligence has highlighted similar issues with Moscow's forces during the war. Just this week, the UK's intelligence chief said that the Russian military has become "exhausted" and is now in a “desperate situation". Jeremy Fleming added: “The costs to Russia, in people and equipment, are staggering. We know, and Russian commanders on the ground know, that their supplies and munitions are running out.”
Russia's military performance has become so bad that even Kremlin propagandists have started talking about it openly on state TV. Criticism of the Russian government or military is not usually permitted, but recent weeks have seen more and more critical voices making their feelings known.
Alexander Sladkov, a military correspondent for the Russia-1 channel, was surprisingly honest as he reported from the Donbas region in Ukraine. He said that "the situation is difficult. Ukraine's armed forces are at the peak of their capabilities due to their mobilisation they started in spring."
Mr Sladkov was speaking after Ukraine claimed it had liberated more territory near the southern city of Kherson, a key battleground in the war. The state media reporter admitted that Russia had lost a lot of territory, but tried to convince viewers that this was not a major setback.
He added: "Yes, we lost 17 settlements in the Kherson region, it's being discussed on the net. The level of difficulty in this situation was predictable, of course. What is there to say?
Of course, it's painful, we also have losses, but that's what war is like. They're [the mobilised soldiers] coming and equipment is coming.