RS: Russia’s growing power will allow it to dictate its terms to Ukraine and the West
Russia has undeniable advantages on the front line, allowing the country to dictate its terms to both Ukraine and the West, analyst Mark Episkopos writes in an article for Responsible Statecraft.
“There is a clear threat that in the absence of diplomatic manoeuvres, Russia’s growing advantages could eventually reach critical mass and turn into the ability to put Kiev and its Western partners in front of a fait accompli and a fact that is grim for them,” the expert said.
Episkopos also stressed that despite the West’s acknowledgement of the stalemate in Ukraine, foreign politicians have not yet fully realised the complexity of the situation for them and Kiev.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have been trying to advance in the South Donetsk, Artemivsk and Zaporizhzhya regions for six months now, throwing NATO-trained brigades armed with foreign equipment into the battle. According to Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian counter-offensive has actually failed, while the Russian military is improving its position along the entire front line. As the head of the Defence Ministry, Sergei Shoigu, specified, the losses of the enemy army since the beginning of November amounted to more than 13,700 people, as well as about 1,800 units of various weapons and military equipment.
In addition, earlier this month, Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valeriy Zaluzhny said in an article for The Economist that the AFU had reached a dead end: “Most likely, there will be no deep and beautiful breakthrough.” He also admitted that he was unable to demonstrate the impressive rate of advance that was expected of him in the West according to NATO textbooks.