Wrong-
Everyone knew Russia was going for the ethnic Russian territory “once part of Ukraine.”
Russia never had as its goal the complete destruction nor seizing of the western and nationalist areas.
Like 2014, this was a limited campaign.
BUT, following our lead, Ukraine did get tumbled into a war with their biggest trade partner, a nation on their border that ain’t going away, see their economy implode, a mass exodus of unparalleled proportions, lose 1/8 of their real estate, a major port city, their largest industrial area, all hopes of EU membership wash away, lose tens of thousands of men, deal with even more invalids for a generation, and have infrastructure that is heavily damaged. Congratulations on your victory.
Russia took what they wanted and blocked NATO accession, that was their goal.
This was the cause for war: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-president-zelenskiy-holding-talks-with-biden-adviser-says-2021-12-09/
Don’t try to make up your own definition of victory. You may as well claim Russia hasn’t invaded Alaska and therefore lost.
One of the most common techniques to cope with failure is the move the goal post.
If you’re honest, then:
1. The political component of this war was about Ukraine joining NATO, which has not and will not happen for the foreseeable future.
2. Prevent Russia from seizing more of the area where you have a majority of ethnic Russians, which the Russians accomplished.
Meanwhile, Russia’s economy did NOT implode and their GDP is growing despite sanctions while Ukraine saw a >37% shrinking of their economy. Russia does not have a damaged infrastructure nationally while Ukraine does. Russia does not have a mass exodus of people while Ukraine does. Russia has not seen their birthrate sink to absurd levels that are unsustainable for just 1 generation, while Ukraine has. Russia has not seen their national debt explode while Ukraine has. Ukraine is at their end regards manpower, bringing in women, old folks, trying to draft kids abroad, and with many young people literally hiding and forcibly taken away by their draft while Russia is not even near full mobilization.
Congratulations on making Ukraine a basket case. Another great Biden foreign policy success story according to CNN and MSNBC. Wear a Ukraine pin and pretend you did something for these people, but remember that this war was 100% avoidable and predictable. Do not lie and claim this war was “unprovoked” or that it was about “sovereignty and democracy.” It was an expeditionary campaign where our political and military involvement led Ukraine to make decisions which threaten Russia and which we would never accept ourselves if in Russia’s shoes.
This was a war caused by arrogance, overreach and for economic gain. You nor anyone else can articulate a viable national security argument for what we did. We gambled with 41 million lives “hoping” that our military build up of Ukraine made it too costly for the Russians to block NATO accession through the use of force. We gambled, we lost.