Why hasn’t Putin pulled out (literally) the big guns and put an end to it already? All the tit for tat is just dragging it out and getting more killed.
>>
Based on Russia’s stated goals at the outset of the conflict Russia has indeed lost.
The goals were to remove Ukraine’s leadership and keep NATO from Russia’s borders.
>>
These were not the stated goals. The stated goals are what is actually in speeches, not what some reporter imagines was meant in the latest bit of mindreading.
The purpose has been stated to de-nazify and de-militarize Ukraine. This would seem clearly to be in progress.
Putin is hyper focused on Russian demographics. His directions to the army have been to emphasize low Russian casualties and maximize those of the opponent. That clearly is taking place.
The actual bottom line here is Russia has essentially infinite oil and that is what defines actual money, not whimsical creation by the Federal Reserve (though unlike the Soviet Union, Russia now also has a central bank empowered to QE all the money they need).
There’s nothing anyone can do about this. Geology decides this. Not videos.
It has become a war of attrition. Who will break first—USA, Nato or Russia. I contend that as long as Russia has Chinese support—Putin can not lose. He can hurt us and Europe in many ways. Look at Niger, Syria, North Korea? Nato is starting to crack—American public support is slacking off. All Putin must do is wait and keep Ukraine from retaking the lands he holds and he will win what he wants at the Peace Table. Watch as this goes well into 2024 and the election. If the Democrat power brokers see the War as a losing issue—they will drop Kiev like they did Kabul.