I know many, especially here... are upset about the situation in Ukraine.

[Beastly Boy]

20. Ukraine already won the war. Russia will keep winning battles, but they are losing the war.

It was widely anticipated that Russia would occupy Ukraine within six months of invading it. The prevailing sentiment in Ukraine at that time was that under occupation, Ukrainian resistance will consist of partisan warfare, non-cooperation with the occupying power and passive resistance on the part of the majority of the Ukrainian population. In other words, destabilizing the occupying military forces using asymmetrical and clandestine warfare absent of conventional armed forces. Eventually, the thinking was, Russian occupation would be made unsustainable and Russian regime would eventually implode as it did in the former Warsaw Pact countries.

Ukraine is in a far better position now. Despite the terrible losses, this is an unequivocal and unexpected victory. As the joke goes, Russian armed forces, having been the world's second best in 2022, are now the second best in Ukraine. True, Ukraine has no chance of winning conventional warfare against the numerically superior Russian Army, but it is now in a far better, previously inconceivable, position to negotiate. Retaining independence in any shape or form is a tremendous victory for Ukraine. And, a tremendous loss for Russia that goes beyond Ukraine. The longer Ukraine can sustain its independence, in whatever form, the stronger its position becomes, and the better they can resist any future ambitions Putin has for Uktaine.

Just an example, without commenting on how realistic or advisable it may be: there are unconfirmed rumors that Ukraine is seeking ways to obtain a nuclear weapon. It would be a complete game changer, just like Russia's failure to occupy Ukraine has been.