After 18 months of an ever widening battle, Putin continues to be unable to acknowledge the failure of his “restricted army operation.” Removed from convincing Washington that his pursuits are restricted to defending the Russian individuals in former Russian territory who had been dumped by Soviet leaders into the Ukraine province of the Soviet Union, Putin has satisfied Washington that Russia is weak and that he’s irresolute.
The consequence has been an ever widening battle and a large enlargement of NATO on Russia’s northwestern border with the addition of Finland and Sweden to NATO. And now Putin’s hesitancy, which appears everlasting, is bringing him the occupation of western Ukraine by the Polish military.
Russian Protection Minister Shoigu has proven no brilliance within the marketing campaign both, however he now acknowledges the failure of the “restricted army operation” to guard Russia’s safety and to maintain NATO’s presence from growing on Russia’s borders.
Right now Shoigu stated that Poland is making ready a pretext to occupy western Ukraine. As Ukraine has run out of troops, Poland is transferring in. Washington received’t name it an invasion.
Shoigu went additional, whether or not with Putin’s approval or as a criticism of the failed “restricted army operation” I can not say. At right now’s assembly of the board of the army division, Shoigu stated: “Within the western and northwestern strategic instructions, the threats to the army safety of Russia have elevated manifold.” He stated that Finland and Sweden’s accession into NATO is a “critical destabilizing issue.” Shoigu identified that for the reason that starting of the “restricted army operation” NATO formations have elevated 2.5 instances. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230809/warsaw-plans-to-create-polish-ukrainian-union-for-subsequent-occupation-of-western-ukraine—shoigu-1112480015.html
That is hardly an image of success, so why is Putin sticking with a failed coverage? With the failure of the Ukrainian counterattack and decimation of the Ukrainian military, now’s the time for the Russian offensive. However there isn’t a signal of it.
US Col. Douglas Macgregor has concluded that Putin is definitely holding again a Russian advance, wasting your time earlier than the wet season begins. From a army standpoint, it’s senseless for Putin to let go the chance to strike his devastated opponent and convey the battle to a fast finish earlier than Washington can additional escalate the battle. As an alternative, Putin is offering Poland the chance to maneuver into Western Ukraine. It appears apparent that this may end in a wider and extra harmful fight.
Col. Macgregor now agrees with what I’ve been saying for 18 months, that Putin is perceived within the West as irresolute and could be defeated or a minimum of discredited in Russia as a failed battle chief. As I’ve burdened, this can be a very harmful notion. Provocations of Russia will enhance to a degree the place battle will escape. Col. Macgregor now sees the state of affairs as I do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcwFyNbX5m8
Maybe Putin would do nicely to take a cue from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar:
There’s a tide within the affairs of males.
Which, taken on the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all of the voyage of their life
Is certain in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we should take the present when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.