Putin Is Losing So Here’s How He’ll Make the War Worse
This week he’s cutting the gas to Poland and Bulgaria, next month he could attack Moldova. Would he stop at nukes?
How far will he go?
Photographer: Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin is failing so spectacularly, it’s making him even more dangerous. Running out of ways to de-escalate while saving face, he appears to think that he has no choice but to escalate. What will that look like?
His problem is that his failures are becoming too obvious to hide even for Russia’s propaganda machine. He attacked Ukraine in part to keep NATO from expanding; instead, NATO will probably admit two new members this year as a result of his aggression. He promised to reunite two populations — Russians and Ukrainians — whom he considers one people; instead, his atrocities have ensured that Ukrainians will forever feel distinct and hate Russia. He pledged to restore Russia to imperial greatness; instead, he’s turned it into an international pariah. The list goes on.