Vladimir Putin missed his chance to achieve a decisive military victory over Ukraine ahead of the US presidential election in November, writes The Telegraph.
The 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings was celebrated in France a few days ago. US President Joe Biden linked the conflict in Ukraine to the event of World War II, stating that Ukraine was invaded by a tyrant seeking dominance. He emphasized that it is unthinkable to bow your head to a dictator like Putin.
The feeling that Kiev now bears the burden, the cross of Western values, defending itself against Russian aggression (compared to Hitler's aggression) has led to major changes in the American position. Washington has already given permission to the Ukrainian army to attack Russian territory with Western weapons. And this immediately affected what was happening at the front.
The most symbolic triumph for Ukraine was the downing of a plane at Akhtubinsk airport in southern Russia. And not just any kind, but the most advanced Russian one: the Su-57 fighter. It is claimed by the Russians to be of the fifth generation, although it does not have these characteristics according to military experts. However, there is no doubt that this aircraft is extremely dangerous and Moscow has used it for attacks on Ukraine.
Ukraine has now reached a point where it cannot be crushed by Russian troops. In addition to Washington's green light for strikes on Russian soil, the other key factor is that arms shipments from the vital $60 billion aid package passed by Congress in April are now moving to the front lines. The situation is still difficult, but things are gradually turning in favor of Kiev.
Putin's aim was to inflict a decisive defeat on Ukraine before the presidential election, taking advantage of his huge advantage in manpower and ammunition at the front. However, this opportunity was missed.
Instead, Putin encouraged Western countries to support Ukraine ever more decisively. Biden said 350,000 Russian soldiers have already been killed or wounded since the invasion. By comparison, the Soviet Union lost 50,000 soldiers during its 10-year war in Afghanistan, a scale of loss that contributed to its collapse.
Ukraine is now potentially achieving decisive military victories on the front. This, of course, is very different from saying that the war was won. Kiev did not receive fighter jets such as the F-35 or other advanced weapons from Western countries for fear of escalation. But history has shown that in the end, in Normandy, the Allies won. Will Ukraine do it too?