Does Russia’s president know that his “special military operation” against Ukraine has turned into disaster for Russia? Or does he really think that he’s winning?

Russia has failed to reach its intended goals — the so-called “de-Nazification” of Ukraine and its transformation into a demilitarized Russian vassal. In fact, the exact opposite has occurred. Ukraine remains firmly committed to democracy and sovereignty. Ukrainians have become intensely patriotic and anti-Russian. Their armed forces are now arguably Europe’s best, having managed to keep Russia’s army at bay for three years.

Worse, Russia has suffered more than 800,000 dead or wounded, and at the current rate of attrition — roughly 1,500 per day — it will soon approach a million. Thousands of Russian tanks, artillery systems and aircraft have been destroyed. Russia’s refineries, gas, petroleum and ammunition depots and critical infrastructure are being systematically degraded, forcing Moscow to rely on North Korea for weapons and soldiers. Parts of Kursk Province are still occupied by Ukrainians, and the Russian economy is headed for a disastrous performance in 2025, as even Russian officials acknowledge.

Things are no less critical on the international front. Sanctions have crippled certain Russian economic sectors, NATO has........

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