And to all those new Ukraine experts, still blathering on about Putin, you’re doing it wrong. But you knew that.
“[…] With each new pronounced setback in Ukraine, however, it is getting harder for Mr. Putin to separate himself from the whiff of failure, which is gradually eroding his image as a decisive, indomitable leader. […]”
What?
The Financial Times, c/o Henry Foy, the ex-Moscow Bureau Chief famous for fellating Putin three years ago, analyses the fall of Kherson this week.
Dear Henry! Russia has achieved nothing militarily in this almost 9-month campaign. Rinse, repeat. And you, Henry, assisted a bloody dictator!
Somewhere in the gaping void of insecurity that permeates dispatches about our unspeakable tragedy there lie previously ignored democracy promotion possibilities. We know flaks employed by NYT and FT haven’t found them yet. Timothy Snyder @CNN thinks he has, but we’re not convinced.
In other news Stefan gives us a rundown of the military tactical situation in a zillion-word Q&A.
DTEK, the private utility owned by Ukraine’s richest man, tells me electricity will be shut off in 30 minutes, so I won’t have time to rank on Mark, the 20th chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, or to report about disagreement among owners of Tootsie Club, some of whom are thinking of teaming up with Tim, Sean, Barbra and Z to help raise funds for a fleet of naval drones.
Stay tuned.
Such a tease you are!