According to dialog.ua, a striking exchange took place on the state television channel NTV during the talk show Meeting Place.

As the war enters its fourth year, guests on the program openly questioned the Kremlin’s long-standing narrative of steady military progress.

For the first time in years, commentators on a major state channel acknowledged that Russian forces now control less territory in Ukraine than they did in the early months of the invasion.

Mocking official claims

During the broadcast, statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin about advances on the battlefield were openly ridiculed.

One invited expert said Russia’s failure to retake key areas lost in 2022, including Kherson.

The guest challenged earlier rhetoric about perseverance and victory, contrasting it with realities on the ground. The remarks directly contradicted official claims repeated by the Kremlin.

Such language is rarely tolerated on state television, making the segment particularly notable.

Blunt words on air

One moment from the programme circulated widely on social media. A guest asked rhetorically:

“You just said that our soldiers will not understand if we stop halfway. Will the Ukrainians understand? Sorry, but they have not lost anything yet! Have we returned to Kherson? How long will we take Lyman, which we left after 2 days? Once again! The territories that we left in two days, we still cannot return there!”

The quote underscored frustration with the gap between official messaging and military outcomes.

Are Russians waking up? State TV propaganda program criticises Putin’s war

Let us know if there are any people falling out of windows.