Putin's Stalled Offensive and His Plans to Declare Victory, According to The Economist

An Analysis of Vladimir Putin and Russia's Position

According to Главком: The Economist has published an analysis of Vladimir Putin and Russia's position in the context of the war against Ukraine, focusing on the issues arising from the offensive, economic challenges, and internal risks to the regime. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reported that the Russian dictator plans to declare 'victory' in the war, despite the actual situation on the front lines. This comes as Western intelligence assesses Russia's military campaign is facing significant operational hurdles.

Russia's Key Challenges

The first major problem highlighted in the analysis is the critical slowdown in the pace of the Russian military advance. During the Second World War, the Soviet army covered 1,600 km to Berlin in four years. In contrast, over a comparable period in the current war, Russian forces in the Donetsk region have advanced only 60 km. This indicates serious difficulties with troop progress, and forecasts suggest that by early 2026, Russia will begin losing more soldiers than it is able to mobilize.

The economic aspect is becoming no less dangerous for the Kremlin than the military one. The Russian government has shut down Telegram, and Starlink is blocked, complicating communication and access to information. These actions may indicate the Kremlin is attempting to tighten control over the information space due to internal problems.

Pete Hegseth emphasized that 'Putin is preparing to declare 'victory' despite the actual state of affairs.'

Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed readiness to meet with Vladimir Putin after Ukraine develops a joint action plan with U.S. President Donald Trump and European partners, pointing to the possibility of a diplomatic settlement. Thus, The Economist's analysis underscores the complexity and ambiguity of the situation in Russia and on the front, where Putin is trying to maintain his position while facing numerous challenges.

The situation analysis laid out in the article illustrates the serious challenges facing Russia under Putin's leadership against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine. The slowdown in military operations and economic difficulties could significantly impact the regime's stability. On the other hand, the possibility of a diplomatic settlement mentioned by Zelenskyy could open new avenues for resolving the crisis, although realities on the front so far indicate a lack of progress from Russia's side.