Ukraine has lost the war. It is a significant defeat, particularly for the bloc that has been behind it: NATO, the US, and the EU. The Ukrainian counteroffensive proved to be a massive failure, prompting Russia to launch a counterattack. Ukraine’s resources were depleted during the failed counteroffensive, and the latest mobilization was unsuccessful. President Zelensky struggled to recruit the necessary soldiers and had to substantially increase the involvement of Ukrainian women in the war, marking a 40% increase from 2021 to the present. Ukraine has shifted to a defensive position, with Zelensky implicitly acknowledging the failure in a recent speech. Meanwhile, the Russian army is gearing up for a potential Third World War against NATO.
Available data indicate that Putin’s army is now more powerful, numerous, trained, and motivated than it was in 2022. The anticipated failure of the latest Ukrainian mobilization was evident from the dismissal of the Minister of Defense and all deputy ministers in September. Thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing abroad to avoid fighting, and many resort to obtaining fake certificates. While the war is lost, Ukraine faces numerous tragedies. Several exacerbating factors include the military collapse of the European Union, unable to produce the minimum ammunition for Zelensky, who received only 300,000 rounds compared to the promised million by Ursula von der Leyen.
The failure of the counteroffensive has triggered a power struggle in Kyiv, with Zelensky fearing that Chief of Staff Zaluzhny may take his place through a coup or at the next elections. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has opposed Zelensky, emphasizing the need to acknowledge the truth about the counteroffensive failure. Zelensky’s wife, expressing concerns about their safety, has pleaded with him not to seek re-election in an interview with The Economist. While some blame Zelensky for the defeat, loyalists try to shift discontent onto Zaluzhny. Zelensky has prevented his predecessor, Poroshenko, from leaving the country amid fears of a coup.
Ukrainians have lost hope of victory, having not won a battle since February 24, 2022. Reports of reclaiming the western part of Kherson in November 2022 are refuted, as Ukrainians have not achieved victory against the Russians. There has been no Mariupol or Bakhmut in favor of Zelensky. Simultaneously, the Russians launched a violent attack against Avdiivka, on the verge of falling like Marinka. Anticipated tragedies loom in Kupiansk.
The Italian information system, perceived as corrupt, is unlikely to hold Ursula von der Leyen accountable for the disaster. Limited freedom of criticism corresponds to restricted freedom of the press. The disastrous consequences of Western bloc policies in Ukraine are evident, and Italian media grapples with manipulating public opinion to conceal these issues. Paolo Mieli,* on Radio 24, criticized those, like Il Fatto, who accurately predicted the unfolding events.
Il Fatto Quotidiano, December 5, 2023
* Paolo Mieli (Milan, 25 February 1949) is an Italian journalist, essayist, television host and commentator, who mainly deals with politics and history. He has been a strong supporter of the positions of the Western bloc in the Russian-Ukranian conflict.
