US President Donald Trump is meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky about a peace agreement with Russia. And not a moment too soon for Russian President for Life Vladimir Putin. His world is falling apart.
Economic decay is affecting Russian citizens in extreme ways not reported by the press of Russia or the West (Meduza). Professional Russian troop formations have surrendered to Ukraine (YouTube). Putin has had to ratchet down harder on dissent within his country (Meduza). There are Russians fighting with Ukraine against Putin’s troops (YouTube).
Despite Russian and Western press claims; Russia is not winning much ground in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has been doubling down on the false narrative that Russian battlefield successes are so widespread that a Russian victory is inevitable.[23] ISW continues to assess that a Russian victory is not inevitable and that the “realities on the ground” show that Russia faces many obstacles in its path to seizing the rest of Donetsk Oblast. ISW assesses that the Russian rate of advance intensified since the Alaska summit, with Russian forces advancing an average of 9.3 square kilometers per day between August 15 and November 20. Russian gains notably have still been confined to a foot pace even during this period of faster advances. Russian forces would finalize the seizure of the remainder of Donetsk Oblast only in August 2027 at this rate of advance, assuming Russian forces can maintain the current faster rate of advance, Institute for the Study of War
What ground they have taken in 2025 has come at a high cost. According to estimates the number of Russian combat deaths are between 243,000 and 352,000 for 2025 alone (BBC). This is in addition to the toll from 2022 to the end of 2024.
According to IISS, from the beginning of the aggression in February 2022 to early January 2025, Russia has lost at least 783,000 soldiers and officers. This includes 172,000 killed and 611,000 wounded, of whom 376,000 sustained severe injuries resulting in disability and an inability to continue military service Defense Express
This means the Russians suffered 172,000 combat deaths between Feb 2022 and Jan 2025. Between Jan 2025 and Dec 2025 there were between 243,000 and 352,000 Russian combat deaths, all for a sliver of land the press is trying to spin as a rapid Russian advance (ISW).
Russia’s propaganda war has reached absurdity, not that anyone in the West seems to notice.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Kyiv had launched an attack overnight using 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Putin’s state residence in Russia’s northwestern Novgorod region. BBC
Zelensky has denied the Kremlin’s accusation. I believe him and here’s why. It is standard operating procedure for anti government attacks by internal opposition groups or individuals to be blamed on external forces. Protests and attacks in Iran are claimed to be backed by Israel for example. For Putin’s government to publicly admit his residence was attacked by Russian citizens may encourage more attacks and support for anti government groups in Russia proper. Of course he’s going to blame the attack on Ukraine; the politically savvy shouldn’t fall for it.
Putin is kicking his own ass; allow him to continue by supporting Ukraine’s self determination.
- (3days ago) Putin’s Worst Nightmare: An Elite Russian Brigade Lays Down Its Weapons YouTube
- These Meduza readers emigrated from Russia. Here’s what strikes them when they visit home. Meduza
- Freedom of Russia Brigade – Meet the Russians fighting for Ukraine I Times Reports YouTube
- A grim new record Russian courts convicted over 460 people of treason and espionage in 2025, according to a new report Meduza
- Moscow court sentences Meduza co-founder and publisher Galina Timchenko to five years in prison in absentia Meduza
- Russian tycoon body count hits at least 38 since start of Ukraine invasion — as Putin sends message with ‘spectacularly absurd suicides’ New York Post