Episode notes
17 Feb 2026
Russian politician Grigory Yeremeyev publicly stated that the war in Ukraine is lost and that Putin’s goals are unobtainable. Despite facing backlash and potential legal consequences, Yeremeyev’s comments highlight the growing dissent within Russia regarding the war’s progress and Putin’s leadership. The war has lasted longer than Russia’s involvement in World War II, resulting in significant losses and failing to achieve any of Putin’s stated objectives.
The Ukraine war is a strategic failure for Russia, with Putin’s goals of preventing NATO expansion, keeping defence spending low, and achieving territorial gains in Ukraine all unmet. Russia’s losses in the war are staggering, with over 1.25 million casualties and a shrinking territorial hold, while its economy suffers under the strain of the conflict. Putin’s obsession with reversing the Soviet collapse and reviving the Russian Empire has led him into a no-win situation, trapped by his own failures and increasingly reliant on China, further weakening Russia.