East may not be seized this year.....

Losses leave Russia short of its goals
The staggeringly high rate of Russian casualties in Ukraine, with 500 Russian troops wounded or killed daily, may prevent the Kremlin from seizing Ukraine’s entire eastern region this year, U.S. officials and military experts say. Progress in Donetsk has stalled, and Russia has been forced to redeploy its forces to the south.

Russia’s glacial pace in the east has been further slowed by the arrival of American multiple-launch rocket systems, which have allowed Ukraine to take back some territory and made it harder for Russian soldiers to reach other areas.

Western officials said that the Russian military has struggled to bring reservists and new recruits into the fight as it suffers steep casualties. Russia has already committed nearly 85 percent of its fielded army to the war, drawing on troops from the country’s far east and deployments around the world, defense officials say.

Casualties: The Russian government classifies troop deaths as state secrets, but American officials say that estimate of Russia’s losses include about 20,000 deaths. The conflict is believed to have become the bloodiest land war in Europe since World War II.
New York Times
.....
Next year is another matter.

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SW-User

That’s good and yet not good. Only one person in the world actually wanted this war, and it’s showing no signs of ending.

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

@SW-User it will last for decades as both sides have no interest in talking to each other.
The best hope is that eventually the Russians get fed up and go home as in Afghanistan.
But how many more have to needlessly die before that happens?

Thinkerbell · 41-45, F

@TheSirfurryanimalWales

I don't think the Ukraine war will last for decades, at least not at its present level.
The Russians in less than 6 months have lost about as many troops as they did in 10 years in Afghanistan.

The level of Russian involvement in Ukraine might go back to what it was before the February invasion.
That might indeed last for decades.

daydeeo · 61-69, M

@Thinkerbell Agreed

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

@Thinkerbell but Ukraine have made it pretty clear they want all their land back and will keep fighting until they do.
Since that is never going to happen there is no way to end this war.
Unless Russia leave.
And they won’t.
It could last so long people who aren’t born yet could end up as cannon fodder.

Thinkerbell · 41-45, F

@TheSirfurryanimalWales

Well, when the Russians realize they can't take the whole of Ukraine, and the Ukrainians realize they can't get all their land back without undue sacrifice of lives, I think some sort of compromise deal will be struck.

Otherwise, they might go back to the low-level fighting that existed before February.

Another possibility is that the rebels in the Donbas region might "vote" to become part of Russia.
In that case, the Russian troops might dig in along the "new" Russian border in defensive positions, and claim the right to use nuclear weapons if the Ukrainian army crosses it.

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

@Thinkerbell and I think we know someone for whom compromise would be unacceptable.
As it is to me but there will come a point where it has to happen.