After 10 months of intense fight and a staggering expenditure of ammunition, the battle in Ukraine heads into a chilly and darkish New Year. For Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it’s a struggle for survival; for Russia and Vladimir Putin, it is a army debacle.
“He understands that this has been a mess,” mentioned army scholar Fred Kagan. “I don’t think he’s accepted that he is defeated, because the essence of being Putin is never accepting that you’ve been defeated.”
Kagan’s Institute for the Study of War produces each day maps exhibiting how a lot floor Russia has been compelled to surrender since its invasion stalled.
Institute for the Study of War
Putin is making an attempt to make up for it by unleashing drone and missile strikes towards Ukraine’s cities.
Kagan mentioned, “Putin is looking for ways to break Ukraine’s will to continue the fight, and most importantly, I think, he’s focused on trying to break Western support for Ukraine.”
Martin requested, “Which does he have a better chance of breaking?”
“The will of the Western democracies. I think he has very little chance of breaking the will of the Ukrainians in any short period of time.”
MANDEL NGAN/AFP through Getty Images
On December 21 the Biden administration placed on a Christmas pageant of assist for Zelenskyy throughout a whirlwind go to to the nation’s capital. The embodiment of his nation’s preventing spirit, Zelenskyy thanked the U.S. for the $22 billion in weapons it has already dedicated, and made clear he will probably be asking for extra. “We have artillery, yes. Thank you,” he advised the U.S. Congress. “Is it enough? Honestly, not really.”
Ukraine is heading into the lifeless of winter underneath a seamless barrage of Russian drone and missile strikes.
President Biden mentioned, “Destroying the system to provide heat and light to the Ukrainian people during the coldest, darkest part of the year, Russia is using winter as a weapon.”
Kagan thinks Ukraine can flip the weapon of winter towards the Russians. “Right now, the Ukrainians have a window of opportunity,” he mentioned. “This winter, especially as the ground freezes, if we provide them with the systems they need, the Russian army is still disorganized and generally reeling, and the Ukrainians have an opportunity to regain a lot of territory.”
“How much longer do you expect this war to go on?” requested Martin.
“It can go on for years; that’s unlikely, but possible,” Kagan replied.
How lengthy is more likely to be decided by how rather more territory Zelenskyy retakes – and Putin loses.
“The art here is helping Putin understand that he’s lost this round, and it’s time to fold this hand,” Kagan mentioned. “We have to persuade him that this approach, this military approach, is done, and he cannot other than continue to lose here. He’s not there yet, and we need to help the Ukrainians get him there as quickly as possible.”
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Story produced by Mary Walsh. Editor: Karen Brenner.