On another war – The Economist:

‘In reality, Russia’s situation is far less comfortable. Its army’s progress is bloody and slow. Its economic problems are serious and mounting. The public mood on the war has soured, an oddly important factor in Mr Putin’s dictatorship, which relies on the perception of massive popular support to ensure obedience. Mr Putin’s propaganda and his relentless drone and missile attacks are largely aimed at convincing Europe and America that supporting Ukraine is futile. Recent statements from Donald Trump suggest this offensive is working. In fact he has failed even to conquer Donbas in four years of trying. And for Russians, the gap between image and reality is widening.’

(…)

‘Optimists and pessimists agree that next year will be the hardest since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Over the past year oil and gas revenues have fallen by 22%. The economic momentum from a vast increase in military spending has stalled. The budget deficit is nearing 3% of gdp. That is modest by European standards, but Russia receives little foreign investment and it cannot borrow on international markets, says Alexandra Prokopenko of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre, a Berlin-based think-tank. To finance Mr Putin’s war the government is forced to borrow at home, which can be inflationary, and to raise taxes.’

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‘In a recent survey, says Vladimir Zvonovsky, a sociologist in the Russian city of Samara, the number of those saying their well-being was deteriorating was triple those saying it was improving. It is now at the highest level since the start of the war.’

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‘Unwillingness to take part in the war is now more socially acceptable than enthusiasm, says Kirill Rogov, the founder of Re:Russia.’

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‘Because the economy has become dependent on military production, peace is likely in the short term to bring new troubles, along with traumatised soldiers returning home. Rather than finding a way to back out of the war, Mr Putin is doubling down, which requires ever greater ideological control and repression.’

Read the article here.

The never-ending-war, part two.

And even if the population is mostly unwilling to fight a war can drag on for years, as history shows.

Control, repression, terror.

And a bit of American help.