Russia-Ukraine War

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

The West has very few reporters in Russia, so we only know what is going on there indirectly. There are plenty of Western reporters in Ukraine, but they are getting only one side of the story. In truth we do not have certain basic data about the war, for example trustworthy numbers of casualties (i.e., killed plus wounded), civilian or military. It is likely that there are over 150,000 casualties on each side.

We do know that Russia has been targeting infrastructure such as power plants but that it has also killed many civilians. Russian troops have been slowly and steadily advancing in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine has established a toehold in Kursk, inside Russia. Each side has been depending heavily on missiles and drones.

Western economic sanctions on Russia have not worked. Russia has found other markets for its oil and gas, especially in China. It trades with the West through intermediaries in Central Asia, such as Kazakhstan. Its economy has been growing at an annual rate of 4-5%. Russia has geared up for a long war. Ukraine, on the other hand, totally dependent on the West for weapons and economic assistance, is in a more precarious position, with some countries showing evidence of Ukraine fatigue.

In any case the war has been a disaster for both sides. Outside of casualties, 6.3 million Ukrainians have emigrated, out of a population of 38 million. Russia is almost totally isolated from the West, with negative cultural and economic consequences.

Sources: United Nations Commission on Human Rights 2022, The Economist 8/24/24, New York Times, 9/7/24