Article by: Kazys KleizaUkraine has proved that the Russian military is not as formidable as propaganda led us to believe, and with the Russian economy running on fumes, Putin is looking for a way out. As winter approaches, the gas war is escalating. The severe reduction in gas supply will fracture Europe, and some leaders will likely cave to Putin’s cease-fire demands. Eastern Europe must stand firm and resist, so the rest don’t play into Putin’s hands.
Russia’s forces continue to make incremental tactical successes in the Donbas, but regardless of what progress it makes now, Ukraine has already defeated Russia. After failing to achieve its initial military objectives and then significantly scaling down its objectives, Ukraine has exposed that Russia’s military is not the formidable fighting force decades worth of propaganda has led us all, including itself, to believe. Instead, the embarrassing performance of the Russian military has forced scholars to retreat and rethink what it means to be a “great” power with Russia in the crosshairs.