An exiled former Russian lawmaker mentioned that he's "sure" that Vladimir Putin will declare "an imaginary victory" in Ukraine early subsequent month.

"Putin will attempt to declare a sure victory — an imaginary victory — on Might 9. I'm completely sure about this, however the actuality is that he's dropping the battle," Ilya Ponomarev, who was exiled from Russia's parliament in 2016 and is now combating alongside Ukrainian forces, informed CNN host Jake Tapper on Wednesday night time.

"I believe that the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian folks won't cease earlier than Ukrainian territory shall be free," Ponomarev added.

Ponomarev served within the Russian Duma from 2007 to 2016 and was the one member to vote in opposition to the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. His feedback come lower than a month earlier than the aforementioned Might 9 date, which is without doubt one of the largest holidays in Russia, because the nation celebrates its victory over Nazi Germany in World Struggle II. On Might 9, many colleges and companies in Russia shut right down to commemorate the victory with parades.

Final month, the Normal Workers of the Armed Forces in Ukraine made the same comment in regard to the Might 9 date.

Vladimir Putin
An exiled former Russian lawmaker lately predicted that President Vladimir Putin will declare an "imaginary victory" in Ukraine on Might 9, which is a well-liked vacation in Russia. Above, Putin is seen on the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence exterior Moscow, on April 14, 2022. MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/Sputnik/AFP/Getty

"In line with the obtainable data, there's a fixed propaganda work being carried out among the many personnel of the Russian Federation's armed forces, which imposes the concept that the battle have to be ended by Might 9, 2022," the Ukrainian Armed Forces mentioned in a Fb publish on March 24.

Petro Andryushchenko, who serves as an advisor to the mayor of Mariupol in Ukraine, additionally lately mentioned that Russian navy forces are working to clear "lifeless our bodies" within the port metropolis "to make sure that a parade will be held on 9 Might."

Since February 24, the day when Russia invaded Ukraine, combating has continued to happen between the nations' navy forces throughout a number of totally different Ukrainian cities.

Along with predicting that Putin will declare an "imaginary victory" on Might 9, Ponomarev additionally mentioned that the Russian president "has no manner how he can win the battle."

"No dictator can survive after dropping the battle," he defined. "I believe that these guys in Russia, and particularly in [the] Kremlin, they don't perceive the state of the present Ukrainian nation...their generals are all unsuitable and they're experiencing all these defeats in Ukraine as a result of they don't perceive what is definitely taking place contained in the nation."

Amid the continuing battle, Ukrainian officers, together with President Volodymyr Zelensky, have continued to accuse Russian navy forces of committing battle crimes in a number of cities.

Newsweek reached out to the overseas ministries in Ukraine and Russia for remark.