It will be two years on February 24 Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine. In this context, the German newspaper “Die Welt” analyzes the situation at the front and in the Kremlin.
“Putin is on the mend: he is not as isolated as expected, the Russian economy is more stable than expected. NATO is preparing for Moscow to wage this war for a long time – with all the consequences,” the newspaper wrote.
According to “Die Welt”, the year 2024 began as the Russian president wished – Denmark announced that the delivery of F16 fighter jets to Ukraine will be postponed indefinitely. “At that time, Russia's destructive attacks on Ukraine intensified. The newspaper notes that Kiev's successes, for example, the bombing of Russian targets in the Crimea and the Black Sea, are spectacular, but so far unsustainable. NATO diplomats currently describe the military situation in Ukraine as difficult,” the newspaper writes.
Putin wins the front and divides the allies
According to the newspaper, things are currently going Putin's way. Last year, the situation turned in favor of Russia. “Putin is much more firmly in the saddle now than he was a year ago. There are many indications that 2024 could be his year,” the statement said. What influenced the Kremlin's more secure position? “This includes the failure of the Ukrainian counterattack, as well as the significant military superiority of the Russian army. Russia now occupies 18 to 19 percent of Ukraine's territory. And there are currently no signs that that number could change in Kiev's favor this year. From a purely quantitative point of view, Moscow has many times more weapons and ammunition at its disposal and can mobilize many soldiers at the same time,” we read.
Moreover, according to “Die Welt”, Vladimir Putin's calculation was clear from the beginning – “The longer the war lasts, the more the West will be divided. And his calculation turned out to be correct: in 2023, it was clear. Differences in military support and financial for Ukraine, as well as disputes regarding the corresponding strategy,” the German newspaper claims.
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