President Vladimir Putin of Russia made a speech at the expanded meeting of the Ministry of Defense on December 17:
"The Ukrainian armed forces are going through the crucible of military operations. But unfortunately, for them, the country of Ukraine is disintegrating, as evidenced by the 'golden toilet' (corruption) incident. At the same time, the Ukrainian army is also declining, which is illustrated by the increasing number of deserters."
Putin used the "golden toilet" (a metaphor for high-level corruption) as an example to accuse Ukraine of national disintegration. He also pointed out that the number of Ukrainian soldiers deserting is "in the hundreds of thousands."
The intention is to build a logic: failure in governance of the Ukrainian state (corruption), collapse of the morale of the army (desertion), therefore its resistance is ineffective, and the victory of the Russian forces is inevitable.
The speech was made at a meeting of senior officials of the Ministry of Defense, showcasing military strength and the prospect of victory while raising the offer of peace talks, aiming to force Ukraine and its Western supporters to sit at the negotiation table under favorable conditions set by it (such as recognizing its territorial gains, discussing security guarantees).
At the same time, it praised and awarded honors, which serves to unify thoughts and boost morale domestically.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1851812488154188/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.