Losing is not an option: Putin is 'desperate' to avoid defeat in Ukraine as anxiety rises in Moscow

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, nobody in President Vladimir Putin's inner circle is believed to have expected the war to last more than a few months.

As the weather turns cold once again, and back to the freezing and muddy conditions that Russia's invading forces experienced at the start of the conflict, Moscow faces what's likely to be months more fighting, military losses and potential defeat.

That, Russian political analysts say, will be catastrophic for Putin and the Kremlin, who have banked Russia's global capital on winning the war against Ukraine. They told CNBC that anxiety was rising in Moscow over how the war was progressing.

"Since September, I see a lot of changes [in Russia] and a lot of fears," Tatiana Stanovaya, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and founder and head of political analysis firm R.Politik, told CNBC.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/losing-is-not-an-option-putin-is-desperate-to-avoid-defeat-in-ukraine-as-anxiety-rises-in-moscow/ar-AA14GFuS

[Walleye]

1. Pootie, you started a war. Losing is always an option

[Eyeball_Kid]

2. Diplomatically, Russia is becoming MORE belligerent.

They don't want to admit error, don't want to admit defeat. But it's staring them in the face. Their belligerence signals that they have nothing left to carry them to victory. But the Russian elite don't know how to end the string of failures because their Power Nexus demands defeat. But defeat is assured BECAUSE they have been rigid in their ability to solve their own problems. They can only execute actions that ensure defeat because their power structure demands it.

[PortTack]

3. Pootie would be better off if he left now and made up some crazy lie about how the met their

Goals and all is well now.

Their next big loss will be Crimea.

[Irish_Dem]

5. Yes I think it is time for Putin to cut his losses now.

Make up some face saving propaganda and recall his troops.

But Putin cannot do that, he must "win" at any cost.

Perhaps the west will come up with some way for Putin to feel like he won.

[DBoon]

6. maybe we could offer him the governorship of Florida?

Would anyone notice the difference between him and DeSantis?

[PortTack]

8. Good idea!!

[Irish_Dem]

4. Winning by committing war crimes also means a loss of global capital.

Win or lose, Putin comes out of his invasion very badly.

[underpants]

7. "Genius" "savvy"