Russia and Ukraine

[Thumpalumpacus]

It’s been argued - with some justification, I think - that Putin’s best hope at this point is a negotiated settlement. But, by changing his victory conditions, he’s badly damaged his bargaining position. Any ‘victory’ he’s able to propagandize out of this mess is going to be a victory on Ukraine’s terms, not Russia’s.

Boru

Russia has to negotiate, and it will be from a weaker position whether or not they keep fighting because of their terrific losses and paltry gains.

The alternative, of course, is recourse to WMDs; or even if the Russians can manage one final push, they'll confront a Ukrainian insurgency that Russia neither wants nor can afford.

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Also, having read through the entire thread, I find it interesting that the Putin apologist hasn't really said a word about the military reverses the vaunted RF forces have suffered, nor the horrific crimes committed by them. It appears that, like the Russian leadership, he overrated their might, and underestimated the fight in the Ukrainians. It truly is a Potemkin Army, able to inflict atrocities upon civilians, but unable to competently fight. It's stunning how the RF Army's institutional memory has so signally failed.

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To put human faces to this tragedy: