What's the new US strategy in Ukraine?Originally was to create a threat that Russia couldn't ignore: a nazi regime designed to draw the Russians into Ukraine & then imposition of attrition cost over years.On February 2022, the US was excited to see its plan work. Did it?
With columns surrounding Kiev, and Russia launching an all out missile attack and landings all over Ukraine, America was sure that the bait it set was swallowed by Putin.
And then, out of no where, Russia withdrew -- not as a result of military pressure but a political decision!
To review the events, it's important to note the following proliferation risk sites in Ukraine:
Chernobyl [captured, radioactive material removed]
Hostomel air base [captured by Russia in lightning attack]
ZNPP [captured]
SUNPP [failed salient, withdrawn]
xNPP [no attempt made]
Russia minimised the worst risks, Chernobyl for material [albeit 3 other NPPs], ZNPP right in Novorossiya and Hostomel which is said to have hosted soviet nuclear weapons that Ukraine failed to return to Russia.
By end of March 2022, Russia switched to an depletion strategy. Why?
So Russia took its sweet time, and exercised reflexive control to attack two centres of gravity of its enemy:
* Ukrainian man power using artillery and political-psychological operations, forcing Ukraine to hold, contest & attack territory.
* NATO's collective military strength.
The former is understood by all now. The latter is becoming clearer: NATO is running out of ammunition, fuel and sovereign capital to continue this war.
Every month that passes results in a stronger Russia and a weaker NATO (and US).
But why do they go on? Why doesn't NATO fold?
Because Russia flipped the table: Ukraine turned into a threat that NATO couldn't ignore.
A collapsed state bordering NATO will splinter into warlords, armed with dangerous weapons and a proliferation risk.
A defeat in Ukraine would result in a paradigm shift against the west.
The US/UK tried stinging terrorist attacks against Russian infrastructure around the world and inside Russia (Nordstream, Kakhovka dam,Kerch bridge x2) but failed to change this dynamic. And faced sometimes apocalyptic retaliation.
i.e. Russia firmly controls the pace of the war.
The US is stuck with its own creation, the nazi regime in Kiev and seemingly no end to the loss of material wealth, military equipment and even specialist man power
A new strategy was needed.
Primarily, the US had to do what Russia refused to: Liquidate the Ukrainian state! How?
1. Using political and economic pressure to force Ukraine to deplete its forces sooner rather than later, leaving no path to victory and no means by which the existing regime could even secure itself.
This is exemplified by the command to hold Bakhmut and attack Zaporozhye.
2. Leaving no means by which the war could be "frozen" in Russia's advantage (leaving a permanent drain on NATO without risk to Russia). This forces Russia to eventually come & occupy Ukraine
This is exemplified by the statement that Ukraine would join NATO at the end of the war.
Secondarily, the US wanted to amplify even more risks to Russia around the world.
Of the original RAND strategy paper, only two viable "cost-imposing" options remain, escalation in Syria and an attack on Transnistria.
Yet, there are more theatres where costs/risks can be imposed.
For example, the Suwałki Gap and a blockade on Kalinigrad would be viable with Sweden's entry into NATO.
Or Polish entry into Ukraine, supposedly without NATO support. This threat acts in synergy with the 2nd point of the first, forcing Russia to mobilise 500k men and take it all
Russia has already anticipated these moves, and started creating new threats for NATO with the deployment of Wagner in Belarus (now armed with nuclear weapons)
Russia, along with its friend (not ally) in Iran will also create new threats and imposition of costs to the west in Syria using symmetric and asymmetric means.
We're beginning to see this with joint SyAAF-VKS exercises and attacks on US drones. Heavy bombing of Al-Tanf is next.
Seemingly forgotten by most commentators, the US strategy in Ukraine is largely tied to its war on Syria. Crimea was used to arm the latter, which itself helps Russia keeps the Black sea open from both ends.
Losing in one theatre means automatic defeat in the other. For both.
Let's justify this statement:
- If Russia loses in Syria, Turkey has no risk against it and will eventually close the Bosphorus strait to Russia, the black sea becomes a dead pond.
- If the US loses in Syria,Turkey itself will start to drift away from NATO. i.e. Russian pond.
etc