As the fourth unsuccessful year of Russia’s war against Ukraine comes to an end, pro-war “Z” correspondents have begun voicing their dissatisfaction more openly and accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of betrayal, reports Dialog.ua.
Frustration is growing within the Z community amid the lack of success on the battlefield and tightening internal controls in Russia. For example, the popular Z channel When the Guns Sounded published an angry message allegedly written by a Russian soldier who has been fighting against Ukraine since 2014.
“There has been no real progress on the Dobropillia front. The front has simply stalled, just like when they took Myrnohrad. Losses are enormous. What do you think about the blocking of Telegram? Everyone here is completely shocked by what is happening. I remember Prigozhin — he was 200% right. The old man has gone mad and is uncontrollable,” the message states.
The post refers to a well-known statement made by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner private military company, shortly before his death. In May 2023 he said on camera: “They are killing our soldiers, and this happy old man thinks everything is fine. If he turns out to be right, God grant us all health. But what about the country, our children, our grandchildren, Russia’s future? How can we win if it suddenly turns out that this old man is a complete fool?”
Three months later, Prigozhin was killed.
Another prominent Z blogger, Aleksei Rodriguez (No Pasaran), issued a harsh statement against Putin, effectively accusing the Russian leader of betrayal.
“I’m tired of the whining in the comments: why do volunteers have to buy equipment and send it to the front — where is the Ministry of Defence? Seriously, I’m sick of it. What are you complaining about? Eighty percent of you loyally voted in every election — not with your heads, but with your backsides. For Putin, for United Russia, for stability. Now deal with it and stop complaining. You are ruled by an organised group that you elected. A disgusting government reflects a disgusting society. War just exposes it more clearly,” the blogger wrote.
Realising he may have crossed a line, he later deleted the post, but screenshots remain online.
Such posts indicate growing dissatisfaction within the Z community.
The inability to win the war, heavy losses at the front, Russia’s economic problems and internet disruptions are all contributing to declining support for Putin, the portal writes.
Following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Z bloggers have begun expressing fears that Russia could be next. Kremlin propagandists and pro-war bloggers are actively discussing the Israeli-US operation against the Iranian regime.
Israel, together with the United States, launched a large-scale military operation against Iran. The strikes reportedly killed Khamenei along with the defence minister, the chief of the armed forces general staff, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and other senior security officials.
As a result,
one of Moscow’s key allies — the Iranian regime — has effectively been removed from the geopolitical stage.
The situation was commented on by Kremlin propagandist Sergei Karnaukhov, who openly suggested that Russia could face a similar fate.
“Why hasn’t a single U.S. ship sunk yet? Don’t they (the Iranians) have missiles? Are they afraid of escalation? Well, now they will come and kill them all. (…) Where are Khamenei’s statements? There are none anymore. That’s it. This is a state collapsing before our eyes. I take a pro-Russian position, I evaluate what will happen, and I understand very well what the problem will be going forward. First of all — for us. I’m worried about one thing: when will they come for us? Have they already started? Talking about Iran means talking about Russia. They will treat us the same way and strike Russia even harder,” Karnaukhov said.
While official Kremlin propaganda focuses on the regime’s security, smaller Z channels are discussing Russia’s military weakness.
The so-called “angry patriot” Maksim Kalashnikov wrote: “Yes, compared with this, our so-called future geostrategists and their war in Ukraine look simply pathetic. Instead of cutting off the enemy’s head and paralysing its rear, thousands of cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones were wasted. We warned you: freezing Ukrainian cities and leaving them without electricity, using expensive high-precision systems to bomb thousands of drone assembly sheds, is pointless and harmful. Now Trump will wipe your noses, you cunning planners.”
Another Z blogger, known as “Comrade Artyom,” noted that compared with the rapid Israeli-US operation,
Russia’s war against Ukraine “has taken on very unpleasant new colours.”
“Comrades, do you understand that Iran’s fall is a catastrophe for us? They are knocking out our second-to-last ally, and then they will likely move on to finally resolve the Russian question… Trump eliminated Iran’s supreme leader within hours of launching the operation. That’s how the strong solve problems. The weak draw red lines, then turn them brown, invoke mythical international law and pay for their helplessness with their lives,” he wrote.
It is worth noting that Moscow has already lost its third ally in the past year. First, the regime of Bashar al-Assad collapsed in Syria, then the United States arrested Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and now the Iranian regime has fallen.
Moscow condemned Khamenei’s killing, calling it an unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign state, a violation of international law and a dangerous development. Russia’s Foreign Ministry demanded an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomacy, accusing Washington and Tel Aviv of attempting to impose regime change.
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