Putin’s Confidence in Ukraine Victory: Delusion or Calculated Gamble?
A recent DIA report to the US House of Representatives indicates that Vladimir Putin remains committed to his original war aims in Ukraine: Ukrainian neutrality and territorial partition. Putin views the conflict as an existential struggle against the West, impacting his power and legacy. Despite substantial military losses—estimated at over 10,000 ground vehicles and 700,000 personnel—Russia plans to continue its war of attrition through at least 2025, while simultaneously engaging in asymmetric warfare and destabilization efforts against the West. This strategy is pursued despite a weakened military capacity to directly confront NATO.
John Q. Hosedrinker