Why Ukraine may not win the war despite Russian setbacks

The pullout from Kherson was a blow for Putin but a long war of attrition holds many risks for Ukraine, including diplomatic pressure and destruction of its economic infrastructure.

Ukraine remains highly vulnerable to future twists in a war that shows no signs of abating.

PHOTO: AFP

Jonathan Eyal

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Almost nine months after

Russian troops invaded his country,

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has much to be proud of. He not only survived Russia’s attempt at regime change but also has the satisfaction of mocking his Russian attackers in every daily TV broadcast he makes from Kyiv, the capital he stubbornly refused to evacuate.

More significantly, the tide of war now appears to be turning decisively in Ukraine’s favour. Russia’s

recent withdrawal from Kherson,

the only major Ukrainian regional capital city it captured since February, was a personal and profoundly humiliating experience for President Vladimir Putin and a severe dent in his cultivated macho image. The Russian attempt to subdue Ukraine by either occupying the entire country or imposing a puppet government on it has failed.

Why Ukraine may not win the war despite Russian setbacks

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