Russia militia boss warns defeat in Ukraine leaves Putin 'only one option'
Pro-Russia militia commander Alexander Khodakovsky suggests that Vladimir Putin lacks the conventional means to win the war.
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Donetsk militia commander Alexander Khodakovsky has openly suggested that Russia lacks the conventional means to win the war in Ukraine. During a television appearance on Russian state media, Khodakovsky suggested the Kremlin should use the country's massive nuclear weapon arsenal in the event a defeat becomes unavoidable.
Khodakovsky told Russia1: "We are aware of our capabilities. "We have a number of unit which are being rotated so they can recover at bases in Russia, there are now battalions which have been formed and will be formed.
"For example, the Ural-1 battalion, which was formed in Yekaterinburg is now moving to the front.
"That's around 500, of whom basically 95 percent are shock troops, very highly motivated guys.
"They've been equipped with not only body armour and helmets, but armour and armoured vehicles like the typhoon.
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He continued: "That's to say in Russia training is underway.
"But nevertheless, we realise our resources, of course, have limits.
"And the next spiral of escalation can only be one - nuclear."
Khodakovsky added: "We created them for such situations. That is why there is only one option."
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It comes as Russian conscripts heading to Ukraine have been complaining of poor clothing and medical supplies.
In a video released from inside a military training base inside Russia, a group of recruits and an instructor point out the lack of basic medical provisions for the enlisted men.
The Russian military instructor reports: "Your fighters that you send to us here in Stavropol Kari are almost completely naked.
"They have no medical kits and they have just one tourniquet."
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Calling one of the recruits over, he adds: "As you can see they have almost no protection and just to [armoured] plates.
"They don't have any thermal underwear, the boys are freezing."
Retired US commander Mark Hertling has slammed the Russian military logistics and supply issues arguing Putin has been unable to deliver the equipment needed by a modern functioning army.
He told CNN: "There was a NATO report submitted today that said the earliest if everything goes right that Russia can get mobilised troops on the front lines is May, that's months away, and that's considering that they had everything they need."