to say that russia is now significantly weaker militarily. he hasjust, like, repeated the joke which is popular in ukraine for six months regarding the second strongest army but not in the world, but in ukraine. when we look now at what terrible shape the russian army is in by now, it is absolutely different army compared to 14 months ago. russia has destroyed, like, the most precious equipment, like, the most modern equipment in the first months. the best officers of the russian army have been killed within the first months. russia has not managed to, like, conscript new, skilled soldiers. theyjust grabbed whoever they can. they try to, like, use these private military companies, which were even worse in the quality of soldiers. like, theyjust conscripted inmates who were mostly ill, who were mostly absolutely incapable for the military service, and theyjust sent them as meat waves into attacks, like it was in bakhmut, where the russians have lost several dozens of thousan
blinken also said the war had strengthened the very alliances russia had sought to weaken, nate and the eu. let s have a listen to some of what he had to say. today, what i want to do is set out this and the many other ways putin s war of aggression against ukraine has been a strategic failure. greatly diminishing russia s power, its interest and its influence for years to come. and i ll also share our vision of the path to a just and lasting peace. when you look at president putin s long term strategic aims and objectives, there is no question, russia is significantly worse off today than it was before its full scale invasion of ukraine, militarily, economically, geopolitically. i spoke to journalist and political expert sergej sumlenny, who is also the director of the european resillience initiative centre, a charitable organisation focusesd on strengthening democracy in europe. i asked whether blinken is right