Why Russia Cannot Simply Admit Defeat in Ukraine — Geopolitics Conversations

24 comments

1. It absolutely can.

2. I always find it funny how russia bases their military prowess on defeating Napoleon and WW2. While ignoring the Russo-Japanese War, WW1, the invasion of Poland, the invasion of Finland, the invasion of afghanistan, the first chechen war and probably other wars in the same time frame I have forgotten.

   It like England basing their football prowess on the one time they were world champion.

   And yes russia could simply withdraw. Its Putin that can not. Instead he sits in the russian house and removes wood from the roof and the walls to keep the fire of war going so he can keep himself warm, while the dire russian winter waits outside.

3. I don’t buy this. It’s all about putin. It’s his project alone.

4. The last sentence of the article:
   For Russia, this is not just a war over territory; it is a battle to maintain its status as a global power and preserve the myth of its military invincibility.

   The whole fucking world told you don’t do it. You can’t win if you start this, up to feb 2022. The myth is gone, replaced by laughter.

5. You could write the same article from the perspective of the west/Ukraine.

   That’s why it’s much harder to end a war than it is to start a war. Something will have to give and usually that only happens by force.

6. Putin

7. Violent bullies prefer to die before admitting defeat.

8. Putin can claim “denazification complete”, retreat and hold a fantastic victory parade in Moskou, even displaying some conquered western military stuff.

   My guess is that there are some non-operational F16’s that some western donors are happy to provide, as long as russia withdraws behind their own, internationally recognised borders.

9. First of all they are progressing its not like they are losing and iam sure they are waiting who will win american presidential elections.

10. So then, if that’s what it takes to break their imperialism and militarism, let them bleed out in Ukraine until they can’t go on. Let them suffer the consequences of their own decisions. That might be the only way to stop their spree of military agression and prevent much suffering beyond Ukraine.

11. They don’t have to admit shit, they have to go away and never so that shit again.

12. Generally you don’t admit defeat when you’re winning.

13. Neither did Nazis – but they were still defeated.

14. I agree, but putin’s essay from summer 2022 tells a story of strange ideas in one mind. I doubt anyone in russia has the authority necessary to continue the war of putin somehow fell out of a window.

15. Tbh I don’t need to read an article to know that Russia cannot admit defeat.

    Fascists never admit defeat.

16. If we just get rid of putin the next guy will do Khrustchev and start De-Stalinisation. “It was the guy before me, he’s the one to blame”.

17. As a Spanish armada (Invincible Armada in Spanish btw) enjoyer, we are no longer invincible.

    Countries rise and fall, and Russie decided to fall with zero dignity thrice in les than 100 years.

18. I’ve been saying this from day 1: neither Russia nor Ukraine can “win” this war, we’re at the point where it’s effectively a protracted negotiation made with bombs before giving up and admitting something close to the current status quo (or the 2014 one) is the end result.

    If the west keeps supporting Ukraine (sadly, not guaranteed) they will keep on fighting, but Putin can keep sending people to die for a decade more cause he’s a piece of shit in a country with zero internal opposition.

19. I’m gonna have some downvotes probably, but is it a defeat? They got lots of territories and lost some stuff in the kursk. For sure they hoped to have an easy win and now they are spending a lot and sending ppl to the meatgrinder to gain control in new areas but they don’t care, we’re talking about a region that killed more ppl in gulags than naz germany killed in gas chambers, these people don’t value human life. And both EU and US are sending too little help to Ukraine for a real combat change, just enough to keep it ‘stable’.
    Russia has enough ppl to sacrifice and enough ww2 and ww1 stockpiles to continue this madness till something in the western support break. Imo we should not talk about this as if russia is defeated and it’s the last days for them, those putlerists aren’t going to stop anytime soon and by looking at the southern front it’s not roses at all… We need to demand more help from nato/eu towards Ukraine in both financing and weapons

20. For the same reason that Trump can’t admit defeat in his elections. Ego and bluster.

21. What a load of crap. Russians can be told whatever by kremlin & the state media. They’ll just swallow it up. It’s more about the wider geopolitical image than about “what is means to be russian in the 21st century” bullshit and what other bordering countries might do if Ukraine “wins” in a too big fashion. This is what Ukraine should understand also imo.

    I don’t think it’s realistic to come out of this conflict as winning in a major way for either party. The sooner both realize that, the better.

22. They can’t admit war and you want them to admit defeat?

23. Slight correction: Putin cannot admit defeat in Ukraine

    The entire thing is his personal vanity project

24. 2 truths.

    1) Russia is getting more and more territory in Ukraine.

    2) They told us Russia was a dangerous superpower, now we find out they can´t even repel an invasion from Ukraine.