A lot of issues here to unpack …
So , a few clarifications at a time …
Disclaimer:
I am not a military person but have a keen interest ( … among many other things…) in Conflict History and have actually physically visited and worked in a War Zone …
Fallacy 1: The majority of Russia is in favor of this Invasion.
Nonsense - this is purely Putin’s War.
No Russian was consulted , polled or even properly informed…
The military and Navy were initially told to go and participate in War games in Belarus , Donbas and Crimea…
While this was in progress, Putin ( …like Hitler…) gave his famous 6 hour rambling speech full of Untruths , Contradictions , Historical lies , ethnic beefs and insane imaginations …(…making a long story short here…)
Then the attack order was given , taking everyone ( … including the bulk of his unprepared military … ) by surprise …
This was straight out of Hitler’s 1939 playbook …
Biden and NATO saw this coming but we’re smart enough not to play Putin’s game…
War is like a very complex game of Chess…
And any expert with experience will tell you that military plans are only good for the first 24 hours of any conflict …
Thereafter , “Murphy’s Laws” start to kick in …( … Ask anyone who fought in Vietnam , Afghanistan , Iraq or DRC …I have spoken to a few … ).
- 61 days after the start of this conflict , Zelensky and Ukraine have not surrendered or showed any signs of doing so.
- NATO has not been cowed and is more more prepared and united that it has ever been in it’s entire existance … Even the tiny Baltic States are breathing fire …
- The most orderly mass movement of a people at War ever witnessed is in progress …almost 5 million Ukrainians have been safely repartriated to safe zones and ready to continue the fight.
- Sanctions , Embargoes and Isolation of Russia has been effectively implemented (…even good buddy China has been warned to sit on the fence …) - Putin never expected it would be this serious …
- Not having thought of any “Exit plan” , Putin’s focus is now throwing all he has at Donbas and getting a land corridor to Crimea and Moldova …
I predict , he will then declare some sort of face saving “Victory” , call for a ceasefire and buy time to prepare another Invasion.
What he has not factored into his calculations is that this Invasion will morph into an Insurgency which he will have no capacity to deal with …
His Syria type “slash and burn” tactics will not work against a determined , well organized and equipped Ukrainian Resistance …
In order to pacify Ukraine , he will need to tie down almost all of his current forces inside the territory at enormous cost , leaving the rest of Russia very vulnerable …
And NATO has not yet even fired one shot in this engagement … :D:D
Endgame Scenario:
Typically , when Putin is cornered , he lashes out in response …
When this campaign bogs down , Putin will revert to his usual threats and possible use of Chemical , Biological and low yield battlefield Nuclear Weapons …
He has no other options as engaging NATO now on several flanks in his current weak state can only have one very quick outcome …a “Desert Storm” type conventional NATO attack on Russia will knock out his Airforce , Command and Control of his highly dispersed Forces in very short order …
NATO can accomplish this very easily and surgically using Tomahawks and Stealth Bombers only …
Leaving him only two Last Options …
- To surrender and withdraw his forces from Ukraine.
- To go full Nuclear and kiss his ambitions of world domination goodbye …
In the English language , that is known as “Hobson’s Choice” … :D:D:D