Newsweek reports a Russian military correspondent and propagandist named Maxim Kalashnikov, who hasn't been jailed yet, has written the following as a response to Putin's comments about a possible truce.
I feel in my soul that the [war] might end somewhere in the vicinity of the North Caucasus. We don't have enough troops... we even throw the wounded who haven't been completely healed to the front.
It's a scary problem. It's clear that, right now, there is a struggle to freeze the conflict. It's clear that Moscow sees that it can't win. Now everyone is talking about a truce, yes?
And yet Russia hasn't reinstituted a draft, they are still trying (and sort of succeeding) to "buy" volunteers mostly from very poor regions of their vast and mostly underdeveloped country. Enlistment bonuses may exceed a year's wages and dead soldiers' families are being richly rewarded.
The settlement I've predicted Trump will propose - current boundaries which Putin likes and immediate NATO membership for the remainder of Ukraine with title 5 protection which Zelensky would love - is looking good.
Ukraine's David has fought the Russian Goliath to a draw. No mean feat, but 'twas done at fearful cost, especially to Ukraine.
