Russian elites recognize Ukraine war is lost

 Business Insider:

Top Russian security officials think the war in Ukraine is "lost," suggesting that Vladimir Putin's regime might be coming to an end, according to an expert on Russia-related security threats.

The "informed elite" within the security forces "understand that the war is lost," said Bellingcat's lead Russia investigator Christo Grozev in an interview with Radio Liberty, per Metro.

To have a chance of winning the war, Grozev said, the Russian president would need full mobilization but this would cause problems for him at home. Mass mobilization would lead to a "social explosion" in Russia, Grozev added, according to Metro.

There are those in Putin's inner circle who may pressure him to use nuclear or chemical weapons, Grozev continued, but others will say "enough is enough." These people would say "it is better not to waste another 10,000 lives of our soldiers and officers," Grozev said, per Metro.

Although the exact numbers are unavailable, it is estimated that thousands of Russian servicemen have died in the country's brutal offensive on Ukraine. According to the UK defense ministry, Russia has lost a third of its forces.
...

It has been a foolish war from the beginning.  The Russian forces underestimated the resistance they would face and their operations were poorly executed.  Currently, the Russians keep shrinking their objectives trying to salvage something from the debacle. 

See, also:

Russia is desperate for more soldiers and likely to redeploy troops too quickly after Mariupol siege, UK intel says

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