Maybe the most important aspect of this story is the duration of the war relative to the modest amount of territory Russia has been able to seize, despite 80 years of technological advancements since the end of WW2. The online troll armies and absurd triumphal chest beating is increasingly stretched thin to cover what a colossal and historic disaster this war has been for Russia.

Destroyed their soviet inheritance. Millions of casualties. Destroyed their primary export markets. Became junior vassal partner to China in the axis of authoritarian shitholes. Lost the Black Sea fleet. Lost use of the Black Sea. Lost dozens of strategic bombers. Lots their AWACs fleet. Lost/losing key allies in Syria, Venezuela, Palestine (Hamas), Lebanon (Hezbollah). Iran teetering. Putin’s collection of deposed despots hanging out in windowless rooms in the Kremlin basement grows steadily. Are left with a third rate coalition of fourth rate allies of limited diplomatic usefulness, who only run on bribes. Spent their 30-year war chest on the vanity revenge project of an overpromoted gangster ghoul. And most importantly - lost Ukraine. Forever. For a guy who views his legacy in warped historic terms, losing The econmoic, agricultural, territorial and industrial Jewel of your empire after 1,000 years is really the only thing that matters.

Most importantly? The line hasn’t moved substantialy in a very long time. This is it - this is the endgame. And it sure doesn’t look like it was worthwhile. Trump is the crown jewel, and the only thing they have left to try and steal a better outcome than the strategic situation justifies. But - he is ancient and in poor health. Which - really explains his particularly crazy speedrun antics. He has to get Putin a favorable peace, and get NATO destroyed, before one or both of them are dead.