The Russian military may have gambled in hopes of making more progress in attacking Ukraine in the cold winter months. US analysts estimate that Russia’s so-called cold war appears to be lost before temperatures begin to rise again. Even with the major offensive now imminent, no foreseeable trend reversal seems feasible.
In Ukraine, there was great concern about the cold winter months. The Kremlin’s plan was that a harsh winter and the energy shortage caused by Moscow would weaken Western support for Ukraine. At the same time, Putin wanted to force Ukraine to capitulate through targeted attacks on power plants and energy supplies.
Mild winter, infrastructure still intact
But the strategy did not work and it already seems clear that Russia will probably not be able to win the cold war this year. On the one hand, the exceptionally mild weather in Europe over long distances is keeping energy consumption down, and on the other hand, Moscow has apparently failed to sufficiently damage Ukraine’s infrastructure.
While the damage to, for example, the Ukrainian power grid is significant and power consumption is therefore rationed for many Ukrainians, there are still time windows for its removal.
But the Russian offensive itself has stalled – despite the partial mobilization of 300,000 Russians. While there were six major attacks in October last year, the number dropped to just three in November. In December it rose again to six, before falling back to three in January.
Attacks slowly lose their effect
According to one estimate by US analysts, Russia has now largely exhausted its arsenal of long-range missiles – only what was created just before can be fired, according to the latest news from the United States. According to this, only one major attack per month will be possible in the future. These are becoming less and less effective anyway, as the number of missiles and drones shot down by Ukraine increases as the war progresses.
For Vladimir Putin, the situation in Ukraine is still not going as planned. So he and his generals must constantly change their strategy and come up with new approaches to achieve at least the current minimum goal, the conquest of the Donbass.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
