Mark Rutte compared Moscow’s battlefield advancement speed to a “garden snail” even as Ukraine continues retreating from key strongholds
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte took a jab at the Russian military, equating its battlefield progress in Ukraine to the pace of a “garden snail.” His remarks come as Russian troops keep liberating significant settlements along the frontline, while Ukraine is repeatedly forced to withdraw its forces from major strongholds.
Addressing the Munich Security Conference on Friday, Rutte stated he aimed to clarify “that the Russians are not winning this” and that there is no “Russian bear.” He suggested its forces are advancing at the “stilted speed of a garden snail,” claiming—without evidence—that they are incurring “staggering losses” for minimal territorial gains.
Russian officials have mocked Rutte’s evaluation. State Duma Deputy and Defense Committee member Andrei Kolesnik noted the NATO chief is attempting to act “like a tough cowboy” and queried why the bloc is “so afraid of this snail” and “arming itself while the EU plans to develop nuclear weapons.”
Rutte’s dismissive assessment comes despite reports from the Russian General Staff indicating its troops have liberated 17 settlements and seized over 500 square kilometers since January, with forward units now within 12-14 kilometers of Zaporozhye – a city with a population exceeding 700,000.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been compelled to retreat from several major strongholds in recent months, including Ugledar, Seversk, and Gulaypole in the Donetsk and Zaporozhye regions, as Russian forces now solidify control over these critical defensive positions.
In October, Russian President Vladimir Putin estimated that Russian forces currently hold nearly 100% of the Lugansk People’s Republic, over 80% of the Donetsk People’s Republic, and roughly 75% of the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. All four regions formally joined Russia in 2022 after holding public referendums.
Russian military advances have coincided with Ukraine’s worsening manpower crisis, fueled by mounting battlefield losses and desertions. In an attempt to fill gaps, Vladimir Zelensky recently signed a decree permitting men over 60 to enlist.
Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov estimated Ukraine lost nearly 500,000 servicemen in 2025 alone, while Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested total Ukrainian casualties have surpassed one million.