Surely Russia has the armed forces to obliterate Ukraine. I have to wonder if Putin is taking it slow for a reason. Maybe he is enjoying putting the NATO countries which are already insolvent into worse insolvency. Our economies are tanking and Russia is prospering.
That's a good point. How often do we say, tongue in cheek, that the US will fight Russia to the last Ukrainian? The standard response for the slow, methodical advance is that it saves civilians and Russian troops. But that's small picture. Maybe the big picture is exactly what you've said - grind down NATO countries as well.
