We already know that Russia is not winning the war it started against the Ukraine.
A military action that, it seemed evident, was not expected to last 4 weeks, is now well into its 5th year. And while it is true that much of Ukraine has been devastated, it is also true that there are over a million Russian casualties, including hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers dead, along with massive damage to the country’s physical assets.
The bottom line is that there are no winners here. Both countries are major losers. But even if both are losers per se, there can be a “winner” and “loser” in this war – the “winner” status for Ukraine defined as it remaining an independent country…which, of course, would also be “loser” status for Russia.
Well, not only is Ukraine still an independent country, but now the Ukraine is as much as – maybe more – the aggressing force.
From Reuben Johnson’s article for the National Security Journal, via msn.com:
The city of Moscow has come under attack from Ukraine’s drone army for the third time in six days. Reports state that at least 60 drones were launched overnight from 21-22 June, which, among other disruptions, created temporary closures for the third time at all of the Russian capital city’s four major airports.
Beginning at 0400 Moscow time, the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, began posting regular updates claiming that a number of drones had been intercepted and downed before they could reach their targets. He also said at one point that 27 drones had been downed in the period of just one hour.
At about the same time, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsiya, announced that operations were being instituted at Moscow’s Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports. Restrictions were also imposed at the best-known international airport in the Moscow area, Sheremetyevo. A total of 367 flights were canceled or delayed.
Bottom line? Russia, under vladimir putin’s “leadership” instituted what was supposed to be an easily-won war that took over all or part of the Ukraine in a few weeks. But, instead, it has become a major horror show for both countries.
For putin’s Russia specifically, it has degenerated into a losing war with a huge toll in the lives of military and non-military people, the devastation of its reputation as a military force, and, as noted above, major losses in its physical assets.
I am truly surprised that this debacle, so far, has not resulted in attempts on putin’s life by now (maybe there were and we’re just not being told about them).
And I would not at all have been suprised if a member of putin’s inner circle of security had decided to take putin out, even at the expected loss of his own life, sacrificing himself for the good of the country.
It still may happen. What a beneficial day that would be for the country.
