Why is Putin still fighting this war?

[Wilson23]

His original aim in starting this war was to install a pro-Russian government in Ukraine, like he has one in Belarus. But that depended on taking Kyiv quickly, which he failed to do, and he does not appear to have had any Plan B. Now it is a border war and will never be anything more -- so why is Putin still fighting it? What does he hope to gain that will be worth the cost?

 

[nowisthetime]

I agree, the original plan depended on taking Ukraine's capital quickly, and once that failed, the war lost a clear end goal.

He's a stubborn old man, I feel like at this point, continuing the fight may be more about avoiding the appearance of defeat than achieving a major victory. The culture of Russia is all about displaying a symbol of strength, he's known as their strong man.

Backing down would seriously weaken his authority at home, so even limited territorial gains allow him to claim progress and justify the cost in his arrogant mind.

 

[Sir_Timo_Volodok]

Check all that apply:

• Admitting he was wrong may embolden the small handful of people who are potentially powerful enough to depose him.
• There's no peaceful retirement in the dictator for life business. He'll die in the office. The only question is whether it occurs from natural causes, like old age, or "natural causes," like polonium poisoning and/or falling out a window.
• He actually believes his propaganda that Ukraine was never an independent state and always part of Russia.
• He needs more than half the Donbas to offer grieving Russian mothers and widows.
• He knows Russia isn't a real economic/military powerhouse, but in concert with Ukraine, Belarus, and other parts of the former USSR, she becomes more formidable.
• Aside from Russia herself, Ukraine was the most important component of the former USSR.
• He's on record saying the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th Century.
• An economically successful Ukraine would eventually prompt the Russian people to start asking awkward questions about their situation. It's impossible to hide. There are too many cultural and familial connections between the two countries.
• No sufficiently powerful outside force or consideration has emerged which might make him abandon the campaign.
• He believes Russia can eventually drown Ukraine in enough Russian blood to win the war. Note: This is how the Russians historically won most of their wars. Russian lives are cheap to Russian leaders.

 

[nowisthetime]

If you notice the leaders causing trouble in this world are old men. Stubborn, arrogant stuck in the past can't even lead their nation into the new century.

 

[Wilson23]

If you notice the leaders causing trouble in this world are old men.

We should replace them with young women?

 

[OralAllOver]

Check all that apply:

• Admitting he was wrong may embolden the small handful of people who are potentially powerful enough to depose him.
• There's no peaceful retirement in the dictator for life business. He'll die in the office. The only question is whether it occurs from natural causes, like old age, or "natural causes," like polonium poisoning and/or falling out a window.
• He actually believes his propaganda that Ukraine was never an independent state and always part of Russia.
• He needs more than half the Donbas to offer grieving Russian mothers and widows.
• He knows Russia isn't a real economic/military powerhouse, but in concert with Ukraine, Belarus, and other parts of the former USSR, she becomes more formidable.
• Aside from Russia herself, Ukraine was the most important component of the former USSR.
• He's on record saying the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th Century.
• An economically successful Ukraine would eventually prompt the Russian people to start asking awkward questions about their situation. It's impossible to hide. There are too many cultural and familial connections between the two countries.
• No sufficiently powerful outside force or consideration has emerged which might make him abandon the campaign.
• He believes Russia can eventually drown Ukraine in enough Russian blood to win the war. Note: This is how the Russians historically won most of their wars. Russian lives are cheap to Russian leaders.

C'mon, Putin does NOT believe his absurd histories or propaganda

He does believe in robbery and homicide

 

[OralAllOver]

1) The Siloviki and oligarchs are PISSED. Treason during war is looked down upon even in Russia. War gives Putin literal and emotional fire power. A rancid peace kinda not
2) Trump works for him. Life looking wonderful for Putin as long as the Nobel Laureate is President and breathes
3) A million or so demobilized soldiers -- no jobs! -- a major problem. If they maintain links to their weapons? Watch out
4) Is Putin getting killed or getting poorer because of the war?
5) With peace come expectations.

 

[DaddyLovesKitten]

His original aim in starting this war was to install a pro-Russian government in Ukraine, like he has one in Belarus. But that depended on taking Kyiv quickly, which he failed to do, and he does not appear to have had any Plan B. Now it is a border war and will never be anything more -- so why is Putin still fighting it? What does he hope to gain that will be worth the cost?

He doesnt care about the cost, Russian lives mean nothing to him, and besides, he likes to recruit forcibly from regions historically less loyal to the Kremlin, ethnic and cultural minorities, so if they die, it helps keep him in power.

He doesn't care about the money because he hopes to get lots of money via crime and corruption and he can always just tax his own people more.

He wants to be able to show Russia gained territory, and therefore, he's a valuable military leader.

He hopes some of the land gained will be economically valuable and possibly even get resources.

He hopes to weaken Ukraine so badly that a second war will cause the population to surrender and he can take it all.

It's your classic Hitlerian fascist, throwing good lives after bad, doubling down on his sunk cost fallacy. He doesn't care if he has to destroy Russia to get a fifth of Ukraine, because the people he is destroying are all his enemies anyway.

And if someone attacks Russia, he has nukes, so he doesnt have to care about the long term damage.

You just have to think like a selfish horrible piece of shit who allows things like mass murder of civilians, kidnapping of children, rape and torture of captured Ukrainians, and forcible conscription to fight a war. And ordering officers to shoot soldiers who refuse to march forward.

You have to think like someone who doesn't care how many people die, as long as he earns 1 dollar.

That's Putin. That is how he thinks. And Russians would have done well to overthrow him, because millions more of them would be alive and their economy wouldn't have been so shit, and they would have lost way, way fewer lives in the process.

Russian military needs to turn on him. Its the only way to save Russia.

 

[Wilson23]

Russian military needs to turn on him. Its the only way to save Russia.

They would have to have some plan for what comes next.

 

[briancamdudetenger2018]

i think in my opinion its because rasputin wants to bring back soviet union

 

[JohnEngelman]

Putin and Trump do not know that in the twentieth century a country does not achieve national greatness by conquering neighboring countries. A country achieves national greatness by achieving a low crime rate, a high standard of living and a well-functioning government. The people of Germany and Japan are better off now than when they were winning World War II.

If Putin had achieved that in the Russian Federation Ukraine would have wanted to join.

 

[LLCox]

Wars are much easier to start than to end. Pooty can not just walk away.

 

[colddiesel]

Putin has put himself in the position that both winning or losing are bad options for him.

 

[Chernosoth]

The threat is Europe, acting through Ukraine. Committing the entire military to Ukraine could end the war faster, but that would leave other borders open, and a slow grinding war could be more effective in draining Europe's ability to bankroll any war.

 

[SebastianHolt]

His original aim in starting this war was to install a pro-Russian government in Ukraine, like he has one in Belarus. But that depended on taking Kyiv quickly, which he failed to do, and he does not appear to have had any Plan B. Now it is a border war and will never be anything more -- so why is Putin still fighting it? What does he hope to gain that will be worth the cost?

he can't afford to lose, nor can he afford to win. like someone else state - putin is too thick headed to walk away so he will sacrifice three million men's lives