Vladimir Putin 's mouthpiece has claimed Russia hasn't won its war yet because it's a battle against NATO, not Ukraine.
Russia Today editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan told TV pundits on state-controlled propaganda programme Russia-1 that it was NATO's fault the invasion is dragging on.
It comes as Russia 's "special military operation" entered its 53rd day. Forces have been met with fierce Ukrainian resistance and have failed to completely capture any major city.
Ms Simonyan's was asked on Vladimir Solovyov's popular propaganda programme why it's taking so long "for Russia to win Ukraine".
Sharing the clip, Julia Davis, from Daily Beast, wrote: "Head of RT Margarita Simonyan nearly pecks his head off, as she argues that Russia is fighting NATO in Ukraine.
"He quickly backs down: 'I didn't complain!'"
Ms Simoyan, a high-ranking ally of Putin, blamed NATO for interfering with Russia's plans to take control of Ukraine.
She told state TV viewers that Russia is "waging war against NATO" - which differs from the previous narrative that the invasion is a "special military operation".
In the clip, which has English subtitles, she says: "We're fighting a huge, armed enemy.
"Maybe it's not that simple for Russia to fight all of NATO over there.
"There must be objective reasons as to why we haven't won yet.
"We should be helping our army and our commander-in-chief to win instead of complaining that they're yet to win in so-and-so days."
The pundit, who she accuses of complaining, responds: "I didn't complain, I didn't complain."
Ms Simonyan continued: "You complained that they were indecisive. First of all, Ukraine is Ukraine. It's not like Georgia in 2008.
"But also, this is not Ukraine, it's NATO. It's all their power being used against us now.
"All of their arms, all of their weapons, all of their equipment, all of their trainers, their mercenaries.
"Their satellites are watching our every move, even recording our every sneeze!
"And we're at war against all of that. This is a test for us unlike any in our lifetime."
Ms Davis tweeted it is becoming more common on state TV to hear the narrative switch from fighting Ukraine to fighting NATO.
She also said that sinking of the Moskva missile cruise ship is being blamed on NATO, not Ukraine.
Ms Davis tweeted: "Hosts or military experts on state TV bemoan the loss and claim they're fighting not against Ukraine, but 'against their equals' - 'the Joint Staff of NATO'."
In other clips from the same propaganda programme, Ms Simonyan has also said she wants Russia to become more like China in terms of its censorship.
Ms Davis tweeted: "Head of RT Margarita Simonyan admits that for 10 years or more, she's been dreaming about censorship, banning Western media and Russia becoming like China by achieving total information control.
"Most of all, Simonyan doesn't want the idea of freedom to ever come back to Moscow."
It comes after a former British security chief says the Kremlin could order a strike against a NATO base to cut off Ukraine's supply of arms.
Lord Peter Ricketts - the UK's first National Security Adviser - said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "increasingly desperate" to "choke off" the supply of arms into Ukraine.
Lord Ricketts said the tyrant could halt the "flow of arms" by attacking NATO aircraft or military vehicles transporting weapons to the country.
