[PIF]

when the Putin realizes that there is no way he can win the war and has to pull out his troops.

—
Very doubtful, as he’s getting prepared to fight for another 16 years [ war with NATO ] or to the Last Russian. Pulling out is a death sentence for him.

[blitz128]

Agreed, pitin was a bored old rich dictator with grievances unresolved. As he wrote and spoke about often, the fall of the Soviet Union and its breakup ate at his cold black heart.

Not without some justification he thought that this was the time to strike before Ukraine joined the EU or possibly NATO.

His dreams of a greater Russia were threatened, so he acted.

Now after 3 1/2+ years(closing in on the time it took for the Soviet Union to take Berlin), anything but “victory” means a date with a window.

Russians historically can tolerate a lot, but failure is not one of them

[adorno]

Very doubtful, as he’s getting prepared to fight for another 16 years [ war with NATO ] or to the Last Russian. Pulling out is a death sentence for him.

very doubtful that the can go another year, much less 16.

He's having a very rough time against Ukraine, and expanding the war to fight NATO is a death-wish. NATO would wipe out all of what's left of the Russian military, in a couple months time, and ALL of the Russian oil industry would go up in smoke. Only problem after that is that, Europe and the U.S. would have to pony up to help the Russian economy recover.