Winning on the battlefield won't bolster Russia strength

The invasion of Ukraine has revealed Moscow's true weakness

Vladimir Putin.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Getty Images, iStock)

After a faltering, downright humiliating, military defeat in Ukraine's north, categorized by burned-out tanks and stalled armored convoys, the Russian army is now executing what it describes as the "second phase" of its war in Ukraine. The objective: to extend its control over the entire Donbas region and perhaps turn Ukraine into a land-locked country without access to the Black Sea.

The United States has rushed billions of dollars in military equipment to help Kyiv stem the Russian advance. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Washington wants to see Russia "weakened" so it can't invade a neighboring power ever again. But whether Russia wins or loses in the Donbas, it will emerge from the war in a weaker geopolitical position than when it came in.

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Daniel R. DePetris

Daniel R. DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities and a foreign affairs columnist for Newsweek.