Russia loses 2,030 troops in 24 hours

Desperation reveals itself on the battlefield

Good lord.

For the first time since the start of Russia’s so-called three-day invasion of Ukraine, Putin has suffered a staggering loss of 2,030 troops in a single day. That equates to a casualty rate of 1.4 Russian soldiers per minute.

1.4 soldiers per minute.

The Russian army is being used as nothing more than cannon fodder.

While these losses inevitably come at a cost to Ukraine as well, the situation highlights Putin’s desperation. The Russian economy, already suffering from an acute labor shortage, is being further drained by the relentless conscription of workers. Putin appears willing to let the state collapse if it means holding onto power and avoiding being overthrown.

This is not a leader who will come to the negotiating table willingly — he fears the same fate that haunts all dictators. As it was expected, Putin has ordered the Russian army to slam the Ukrainian lines with everything at the armys disposal with little regard to the level of reserves.

A highly risky maneuver, especially when considering that the Russians are struggling to recruit. In September and October, the Russians managed to recruit 60,000 to 70,000 troops, averaging about 35,000 per month. However, Putin most likely lost over 45,000 soldiers this month alone, and with the current pace of their advances, he is on track to lose more than 50,000 troops in December. He is depleting his reserves, and if this trend continues, the Russian lines will begin to falter.

The real question we need to address is whether Ukraine can withstand the pressure of facing a quarter million to half a million troops being used as cannon fodder. If Ukraine is eliminating over 1,500 Russian troops daily, it also means they are likely incurring higher losses themselves.

Putin is betting that the cost he imposes on Ukraine will work to his advantage. He knows time is not on his side and that he needs to rapidly advance into Ukraine before Trump assumes power. Putin is doing everything he can to appeal to Donald Trump.

He has even adopted a “sandwich approach.”

First, he praised Trump, saying, ‘As far as I can imagine, the newly elected president is an intelligent and already quite experienced person. I think he will find a solution.’ Then, he expressed concerns for President-elect Trump’s safety in the United States.

Putin said “absolutely uncivilized means of struggle were used against Trump” more than once, adding that he fears the president-elect is not currently safe.

Oh, well. He is playing mind games, trying to appeal to Trump’s ego on one hand while also dangling a threat on the other.

However, there are enough indications to believe that Team Trump has not fully fallen into Putin’s trap. Trump has chosen Mike Waltz as his National Security Advisor and appointed retired Gen. Keith Kellogg as special envoy to Russia and Ukraine.

“Keith has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration. He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!,” Trump said in a statement.

That is actually true. Keith Kellogg is a strong proponent of fighting while talking

“Ukraine would not be asked to relinquish the goal of regaining all its territory, but it would agree to use diplomacy, not force, with the understanding that this would require a future diplomatic breakthrough which probably will not occur before Putin leaves office,” Kellogg had written in a paper published in June this year.

Kellogg also recommended that the United States tell Ukraine, ‘it will only get more U.S. weapons if it enters peace talks.’

How all of this plays out over the next six months is unpredictable. However, to immediately claim that Donald Trump has a team ready to abandon Ukraine is inaccurate. Trump does have a divided camp. There is a MAGA contingent that supports Putin, seeing him as the central figure of right-wing movements around the world. Additionally, some Western billionaires view Putin’s oligarchic, anti-democratic model as a means to enrich themselves, masking their support for him under the guise of being anti-war/anti-Ukraine.

On the other side, there are Republicans in the House and Senate who place a high value on American national security interests. These are influential people . I can name at least five Republican members in the House and four in the Senate, who are powerful, wealthy, and well-connected.

Musk and his billionaire peers need their votes to secure tax breaks and eliminate regulations. Between Putin and tax breaks, Musk and his associates would likely prioritize tax breaks. The Republican coalition may seem like a well-oiled, cohesive machine, especially when it comes to messaging and spreading propaganda. However, when it comes to policies, they are more factional than an African country ruled by warlords.

That is the good news.

The bad news is that the Biden administration is starting to drag its feet on utilizing the entire pot of money left in the Presidential Drawdown Authority. There are still billions remaining. I have my doubts about the two-hour meeting Biden had with Trump at the White House. The language from the administration, as well as Team Trump, changed after that meeting.

Take a look at what the incoming National Security Advisor said on November 24th.

Initially, the Biden administration pledged to transfer all the weapons before January 20th. However, recent reports indicate that this will not be possible. Instead, a significant portion of the funds and weapons will be handed over to the Trump administration — a risky move, given the unpredictable nature of the incoming leadership.

I think Europe has had enough of the Biden administration’s game of hide-and-seek with Ukrainian aid.

Norway has pledged an impressive $3.2 billion in aid for Ukraine in 2025. The Norwegian Parliament initially proposed $1.36 billion but increased the amount to $3.16 billion after opposition leaders pushed for greater support. The EU has also done more than enough to help maintain Ukraine’s economy in good shape for 2025 and beyond.

Ukraine’s biggest challenge over the next three months will be troop strength. Weapons are on the way, and the economy is stable and will likely remain so. However, Putin will send all the troops he can to their doorstep. If Russia is losing 2,000 troops per day, Ukraine will also suffer a significant loss of life.

I don’t see any other choice here.

It is sad, but freedom is not too far out of reach. They must endure this pressure, even though it will come at a high cost. If they can keep Putin from achieving a propaganda victory before Trump makes that call, which is bound to happen at some point, their position will be much stronger.