Khodaryonok also contradicted the thesis that the majority of foreign states approved of Russia’s military action and that western states could easily be replaced by allies from Asia. “The biggest problem in our military-political situation is our total geopolitical isolation,” the colonel said. China and India, which the moderator positioned alongside Russia, are pursuing their own interests, but are not reliable partners in this case, according to Khodaryonok. Moscow must therefore find a way out of the situation “that the whole world is against us”.
Another reason why Khodarjonok’s statements met with such great interest is that critical voices in Russia have been largely eliminated since the beginning of the war. A relatively new law, for example, provides for up to 15 years in prison for alleged “false news” about Russia’s armed forces. State television broadcasts are also seen as the mouthpiece of the Kremlin.