Its all about logistics. Now that the Russian Navy is being harassed effectively the Russians cannot supply their troops with fuel, ammunition and replacements in southeastern Ukraine. Apparently they are having great difficulty resupplying across land borders with Ukraine. Simply put Russian troops in Ukraine are becoming more combat ineffective daily. Hard to maintain morale in such circumstances.
IMHO 1russia cannot win. However it is a made mistake for Western leaders to not pursue a diplomatic settlement but to totally humiliate Russia. A desperate Putin just might in his tormented state ( his career and almost all he accomplished leading Russia away from the Communist debacle has been destroyed) Desperate men often do irrational things. He just might deploy tactical nuclear weapons and risk the end of the world.
Sooner or later you will have to call his bluff.
Agree. A big invading army that has not maintained the tires on $20 million combat vehicles is not going to beat a smaller defending army that has properly maintained its $20 million combat vehicles. There are way too many who should understand this who are ignoring the implications of what this means.
However it is a made mistake for Western leaders to not pursue a diplomatic settlement but to totally humiliate Russia.
Disagree. Direct threats to national interests supersede politics and diplomacy. Ukraine's national interest is to survive by expelling the Russian army. If that humiliates Putin that is his problem.
Feel free to disagree with me on this next point. So far Putin has not made any truly credible nuclear threat. The speculation about him using nuclear weapons is for the press so they have something to be hyperventilate over. Putin wants to survive, and nuclear weapons means he won't. The hints that Russia might rattle sabers means they are trying to intimidate and they are not serious about it.
“He just might deploy tactical nuclear weapons and risk the end of the world.”
He can’t do that all by his lonesome. At the end, Hitler was going bat poop crazy and some generals were just refusing his orders. He wanted Paris burned down to the ground after they were getting pushed out after DDay and a German general refused the order.