Joni Askola Profile picture
Sep 7, 2024 15 tweets 5 min read Read on X
1/15 Propaganda can't change the facts on the ground: russia is losing its war in Ukraine. Image
2/15 russia is involved in a war in Ukraine that it cannot win because its strategic goals are unreachable. As a result, it has no incentive to stop the invasion, as doing so would signify a defeat. By continuing the war, russia can avoid acknowledging that loss. Image
3/15 russia's objectives of 'denazification and demilitarization' require it to enforce a regime change and establish a pro-russian puppet government, accompanied by a russian military presence, to fulfill its strategic aims—an outcome that is very unlikely to occur. Image
4/15 russia currently controls significantly less territory in Ukraine than it did a month into the war, and it has failed to capture any of the 23 regional capitals and special status cities that Ukraine held at the onset of the invasion. That is pathetic at best! Image
5/15 russian propaganda has been highly effective at obscuring its numerous failures and fostering pessimism about the war. The presence of disinformation agents and unwitting supporters can be found throughout various spheres. Image
6/15 If we had been told in March 2022 what the situation would be in August 2024, we would have been astonished and regarded the current outcome as a significant victory for Ukraine and a massive defeat for russia. Image
7/15 russia is spending exorbitant sums on unscrupulous Western influencers to promote its propaganda and distract people from the fact that it is losing. If russia were winning, it wouldn't have to resort to such tactics. Image
8/15 Despite mobilizing 300,000 men, recruiting hundreds of thousands of volunteers, depleting its prisons, and conscripting men from occupied areas, russia has accomplished very little and has suffered over 600,000 total casualties. This failure will mark history! Image
9/15 russia has required significant economic support from countries like china and india, as well as military assistance from china, north korea, belarus, and iran, to sustain its efforts in the war thus far, all without coming anywhere near its strategic objectives. Image
10/15 russia has managed to maintain its unsuccessful invasion by relying on its extensive Soviet-era stockpiles of equipment. However, its losses far exceed its production rates, and these large reserves are gradually depleting. This will become a massive issue for russia. Image
11/15 russia has had to significantly raise wages and bonuses to recruit enough personnel for its war efforts. These costs are expected to continue rising, and the recruitment contributes to inflation due to the acute labor shortage in the country. Image
12/15 russia's inflation has worsened to the extent that it has had to raise its key interest rate from 7.5% in June 2023 to 18% now, with further increases likely needed in the future. This situation is expected to deteriorate as the war continues. Image
13/15 In 2023, Prigozhin and Wagner attempted a coup, but the russian population's response was minimal, similar to their lack of reaction when Ukraine seized parts of the Kursk region. This indicates that Putin's regime is not very stable. Image
14/15 The war will eventually come to an end when the average russian grows weary of the economic and human toll it has taken. While this may take some time, it will conclude with a humiliating defeat for russia. No amount of propaganda can alter that reality. Image

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More from @joni_askola

Feb 2
1/11 The war is far from over, but Ukraine is still winning.

Here is how we can make sure that it defeats Russia 🧵 Image
2/11 Russia’s 2022 invasion is a genocide.

They use genocidal rhetoric to justify erasing Ukraine's identity. They kidnap children and commit daily war crimes to punish civilians for simply refusing to be Russian.

This is a systematic attempt to destroy a nation Image
3/11 The human cost is massive.

In Mariupol, the death toll in 3 months potentially exceeded the total deaths in Gaza throughout the entire war, despite a much smaller population.

People underestimate this scale and don't see that Russia is committing genocide in Europe Image
Read 11 tweets
Jan 23
1/12 “Value-Based Realism” was a major theme at Davos.

It is being sold by Stubb and Carney as a smart, pragmatic path for the West, but I think it is a strategic trap.

Here is why this new realism might actually lead to managed decline 🧵 Image
2/12 The concept is the latest intellectual fashion.

@alexstubb and @MarkJCarney are pushing it as the ultimate manual for "middle powers" like Canada, the UK, and the EU.

It sounds sophisticated to be principled yet pragmatic, but we need to look a bit closer Image
3/12 The logic is simple: stop waiting for a perfect world and deal with the brutal one we have.

It is an honest description of how we behave right now, post-Biden.

That is exactly the problem.

It takes our current failure of will and rebrands it as a high-level strategy Image
Read 12 tweets
Jan 21
1/5 Europe needs a reality check.

The strategies that worked during Trump's first term are useless now.

We tried playing nice, and it failed.

It is high time to stop the appeasement and start facing reality Image
2/5 The time for Europeans to appease Trump is over.

We have spent the last year watching our tactics from "Trump 1" fail miserably in "Trump 2."

Flattery and silence do not work anymore.

He sees them as weakness, not respect Image
3/5 Trump lives in a bubble of total confirmation.

He is surrounded by sycophants who are too afraid to tell him the truth or challenge his worst impulses.

Because no one in his inner circle dares to confront him, he believes he can bully Europe without consequence Image
Read 5 tweets
Jan 20
1/8 Europe is sleepwalking into a forever war because we are too afraid to actually win.

We need to stop managing the conflict and start ending it.

Here is how 🧵 Image
2/8 Europe has the power to end the war in Ukraine much faster but it requires a total shift in strategy.

We need to stop managing the conflict and start winning it.

Here is the roadmap to force a Russian collapse👇 Image
3/8 We must help Ukraine scale its domestic defense industry in every possible way.

This means direct funding and technical advice.

A Ukraine that can build its own weapons is a Ukraine that can sustain the fight without relying solely on foreign logistics Image
Read 8 tweets
Jan 15
1/7 Trump is no isolationist:

He is a show interventionist, a cowardly form of imperialist interventionism that is also meant to entertain the world Image
2/7 Trump's entire campaign was built on the lie that he would end wars and stop regime change operations.

It has been a year since he promised to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours and the fighting continues Image
3/7 While he appointed isolationists to his administration, his actions tell a different story.

He claims to have ended eight wars but he hasn't ended any. In reality it looks more likely that he will start eight new ones before his term is over Image
Read 7 tweets
Jan 13
1/8 Why JD Vance is a greater threat to the American experiment than Donald Trump.

A thread on the Dark Enlightenment, eyeliner, and the end of the West🧵 Image
2/8 Trump may be the worst and most traitorous president in US history, but JD Vance is a far more calculated threat.

Trump is erratic. Vance is a disciplined, smart, and well-organized opportunist ready to dismantle democracy with precision Image
3/8 The PayPal Mafia has one foot in the White House door by installing Vance. Tech oligarch Peter Thiel effectively owns him.

Their goal is clear: move Vance into the presidency to serve their personal interests and finish the job Image
Read 8 tweets

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