Putin's imperialistic objectives
Russian President Vladimir Putin revived his imperialistic narrative that Russia is fighting for Russia's "historic frontiers" on February 22, a narrative that he had similarly voiced in his speech before the re-invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Putin gave a four-minute speech at the rally for the Defenders of the Fatherland Day in Moscow, stating that there is currently "a battle going on for [Russia's] historical frontiers, for [Russian] people."[1] Putin had similarly called territories adjacent to Russia "[Russian] historical land" when announcing Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[2] Putin did not offer other notable remarks on the progress of the war or discuss concrete frontline objectives. The concept of Russia's "historical frontiers" could be used to justify aggression against almost any of Russia's neighbors, as well as Moldova and the Central Asian states that do not share a border with Russia, since all of them contain territory that belonged at one point to either the Soviet Union or the Russian Empire or both.
Putin's speech also followed his February 21 decree revoking his May 2012 edict on Russia's position on Moldovan territorial integrity.[3] Putin revoked his 2012 orders to the Russian Foreign Ministry (MFA) to firmly uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter—which require the development of friendly relations between states on the basis of equality, respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity—and Russia's commitment to actively seek ways to resolve the Transnistria issue on the basis of respect for Moldovan territorial integrity. The revocation of the 2012 decree does not indicate that Putin intends to attack Moldova—an undertaking for which he lacks the military capability—although it does point toward an escalation in his ongoing efforts to undermine the Moldovan state.
The new decree also canceled the provision of "consistent implementation" of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (START) with the United States. Putin stated that he signed the decree "in order to ensure the national interest of the Russian Federation in connection with the profound changes taking place in international relations."
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This makes it even clearer that Putin's goal is to reimpose the Russian empire which collapsed when the Soviet Union fell apart. One of the things that likely prompted this move is the Biden bug-out from Afghanistan with his retreat that allowed the Taliban to take over the country and take control of billions of dollars worth of US military equipment. It was a move that led both Russia and China to think they could achieve their own control of the lands they coveted. It demonstrates just how costly Biden's Afghan blunder was.
Putin's miscalculations on the strength of his own military continue to be exposed in Ukraine. as his own troops are now having to ration artillery shells. Russia is scrambling for armaments from Iran and North Korea and hopes to get some from China to sustain its war efforts.
See, also:
'It's hard, but they're holding on': On the ground in Ukraine, the war depends on U.S. weapons
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Yet Ukrainian military officials say U.S. weapons are making all the difference. To show how, a senior Ukrainian military intelligence officer and several special forces soldiers guided USA TODAY in mid-February to a secret location on a ridge a few miles outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Ukraine's mineral-rich eastern Donbas region.
"This weapon changed the trajectory of the war for us," said Fury as he stood on frozen ground near what he regards as one of the Ukrainian military's most prized possessions: an American-made M777 howitzer, a powerful, towable and easily hidden long-range artillery weapon his unit had named “Sofiyka.” Made of steel and titanium, its hydraulic hoses and pumps enable its artillery turret to slide in and out with relative ease.
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And:
In less than a year, Ukraine’s military has emerged as a modern, effective fighting force in large part due to an abundance of technology provided by the United States and its NATO allies.
On Feb. 24, 2022, the date of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian military was still dependent on Russian-made military equipment, much of which was antiquated. Today it fields high-tech Western weapons systems like High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and anti-radar missiles.
However, it is not technology alone that wins battles. Ukraine has managed to receive a large assortment of NATO equipment, learn how to use it and bring it to the battlefield with impressive speed and effectiveness. The past year has seen Ukraine become a technical fighting force, able to combine different levels of technology in support of a cohesive strategy.
In contrast, this year has shown that Russia, despite having modern technology and weapons, has been unable to use its seeming technological advantage due to poor leadership, bad strategy and lack of competence.
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And:
Putin 'tried to launch Satan II missile' while Biden was in Kyiv
Russia tried and failed a test launch of its new intercontinental ballistic missile while Joe Biden was in neighbouring Ukraine, it has been reported.
Moscow was said to have tested the 200-tonne nuclear missile, known as “Satan II”, which can carry a dozen warheads and strike anywhere in the world, while the US President was meeting his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, on Monday.
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And:
Russia's Zircon hypersonic missile can do two things: fly at almost 7,000 mph, which makes it very hard to shoot down, or hit a moving ship. But it can't do both.
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And:
More than 145,000 Russian invaders killed so far, says Ukraine’s General Staff
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And:
Sunak outlines way to give Ukraine decisive advantage on battlefield as soon as possible
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak believes that long-range weapons and increased support for Ukraine may accelerate the decisive advantage of Ukrainian troops on the battlefield.
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