The only rational explanation is that he wants to turn Ukraine into something like Syria. He wants it to be a forever war because that would be preferable to democracy.
In the new age of counterinsurgency, civil conflict and proxy wars, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stands out as a rare modern example of so-called “conventional” warfare fought between the armed forces of two nation-states. In this podcast, New Lines’ Lydia Wilson talks to Mary Kaldor, author of the pioneering 1999 book “New and Old Wars,” to discuss what Russia’s goals are, why the invasion is a departure from their usual strategy and whether Putin has miscalculated.
Produced by Joshua Martin
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