Russian State TV Guest Warns of 'Severe' Losses After Martial Law Declared

A Russian state TV guest warned on Wednesday that the nation's military forces could face "severe" territory losses in the coming months after President Vladimir Putin declared martial law in several regions.

In a video posted to Twitter by Julia Davis, the creator of the Russian Media Monitor and columnist for the Daily Beast, Russian war correspondent Alexander Kots appeared on the state-run TV channel Russia 1 to talk about the ongoing battles against Ukraine.

"Right now, it's important for us to endure, I don't want to give anyone any illusions, but we'll have to persevere, gritting our teeth through November, and I'm afraid, part of December. There won't be any good news in the next two months," Kots said. "If we make it through that, there will be a breakthrough...Severe territorial losses are likely in these two months, but defeat in one battle doesn't mean losing the war."

The remarks come shortly after Putin said that he was imposing martial law in some previously annexed regions of Ukraine: Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Luhansk.

"I signed a decree on the introduction of martial law in these four constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It will immediately be sent for approval to the Federation Council. The State Duma was also informed about the decision," Putin said. "We are working to solve very difficult large-scale tasks to ensure Russia's security and safe future, to protect our people...Those who are on the frontlines or undergoing training at firing ranges and training centers should feel our support and know that they have our big, great country and unified people behind their back."

Following Putin's annexation, the Kremlin leader faced backlash from the U.S. and other NATO nations, who have continued to supply Ukraine with military and humanitarian aid.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously called Putin's annexation a "sham" while President Joe Biden said that the U.S. will never "recognize the annexation of Ukrainian territory by Russia."

While speaking with Newsweek earlier on Wednesday, William Reno, the head of the political science department at Northwestern University said that Putin's martial law could result in Ukrainian civilians being forced to fight with the Russian army, after the Kremlin leader previously announced a partial mobilization.

"If Ukrainians are forced to fight other Ukrainians, the intent may be to complicate Ukrainian government efforts to reincorporate these regions," Reno said. "Martial law appears to give authorities the legal justification they need to forcibly remove segments of the population to other locations."

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment.