[BroJoeK]

Wtout: "From an old guy's skeptical perspective, the whole comes down to being in the stadium, during the beginning of the third quarter of the game, and “sides” are declaring the winner of the game, while the game has not been won by either team."

Nobody has declared victory, but there are facts on the ground to support either argument:

1. 7% of Ukrainian territory was controlled by Russia after Vlad the Invader's first invasion in 2014 -- Crimea and parts of the Donbas

2. 20% of Ukrainian territory was added to Vlad's winnings at the peak of Russian success in their second invasion, in March 2022.

3. 27% of Ukrainian territory was the total controlled by Russia in March 2022.

4. 65% of the territory newly conquered by Russia in 2022 has since been liberated by Ukrainian offensives in Kiev, Kharkiv and Kherson regions.

5. 100,000 Russian casualties resulted from their nine-month long assault on Bakhmut, meaning about 1,000 Russian casualties for every square mile conquered in Bakhmut.

6. 14% of Ukrainian territory is currently controlled by Russian military forces, which is roughly double what they controlled in 2021, but only about half of their peak winnings in early 2022.

7. 100% of Ukrainian territory -- including Crimea and the Donbas -- is the stated goal of Ukraine's highly touted upcoming "spring offensive".

8. For at least nine-months, Russians have prepared dug-in defenses against the expected Ukrainian offensive.

Only time will tell us who has learned more lessons in modern warfare.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "Only time will tell..."

We concur in this. Only time will tell.