By Matt Underwood Putin says Russia has captured nearly 5,000 square km in Ukraine this year, and it immediately sparks a question: is that really as impressive as it sounds? Let’s put this into perspective. That’s roughly a 70km by 70km square. It’s not insignificant, sure, but when you zoom out and consider the scale of the war, the price being paid, it really makes you pause and think.
This area of land, it’s almost insignificant compared to the overall size of Ukraine. It’s just a tiny fraction of Ukraine’s total landmass. If we’re being generous, it’s like conquering a small town for a truly staggering cost. The human cost alone is horrific. We’re talking about the tragic loss of life on both sides. The actual numbers are surely higher than any official figures, of course, considering the state of the war. There are so many lives lost, families destroyed, and futures shattered for such a relatively small amount of territory. And then you have to look at the massive financial cost.
Considering the money spent on the war, which could be $1 billion a day, and the resources invested, is this really worth the price? Russia is also facing reduced oil and gas sales, has lost market share, and is now embroiled in a costly arms race with NATO. The economic impact of sanctions and the exodus of Western businesses are devastating.
It’s even more complicated when you consider how much of that 5,000 square km has been captured, lost, and then captured again. It’s like going around in circles and counting the same area multiple times. And when you consider the frontline and the average advances, it’s a matter of a few kilometers deep – about the same distance one might walk around a large mall.
The irony is, it might have been cheaper to just purchase that much land. One might ask how many times he’s counted the same land. It’s a grim calculation, but some estimate at the current rate it would take centuries and tens of millions of casualties to take over Ukraine.
And let’s not forget the losses. Thousands of Russian businesses leaving, a massive brain drain and all the military equipment destroyed. It’s like they’re bragging about bullying a toddler, and it’s not a good look for a supposed superpower. This is all for less than 1% of Ukraine’s land area.
So how much has Russia lost already? The costs are staggering: reduced oil and gas sales, lost market share, a costly arms race, sanctions, a massive brain drain, and the destruction of military equipment. It’s a lot to sacrifice for a small gain. And even with the capture of this area, it’s clear that Russia is not winning. In fact, this “accomplishment” is a rounding error when compared to the overall area of Ukraine.
The real question is, what did Russia set out to achieve? Was it demilitarization, denazification, or something else entirely? This land grab seems to contradict those goals. The whole endeavor raises more questions than answers. It appears to have been a colossal miscalculation, a waste of life, and a tragic demonstration of what happens when ambition outstrips reason. And even at their rate of capture, the war’s end seems far away, along with any true “victory.”