Putin’s “Out” at the moment, as best as I see, is for him to declare Ukraine’s weapons destroyed, and to then withdraw. He can equally then claim that he’s destroyed their “Nazi’s”, and save face.
Surely he is not going to attempt to hold the country…?
It’s a ‘religious war’ for him… the ‘holy Russ’ and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church has given his support and blessing (a move that has split the Orthodox Church of Russia, let alone the other Orthodox Churches).
He might very well strive to simply obliterate Ukraine as a functioning society… literally bomb and missile attack until there is zero functioning infrstructure. And then put troops at the borders to stop western aid and support.
I’ve decided the guy is crazy to hold power and to continue to appear the shirtless strongman. Therefore I think its the latter of your suggestions. Obliteration. And I don’t think he is considering consequences. He has an eye on his prize and can see nothing else. Nor does he care about it. Chemical weapons? Nukes? Only the media has made such suggestions but I reckon he’s thinking about it
According to the ABC, some Russian minister has said that the nuclear option would be on the cards if their way of life was threatened, or something like that.
Thing is - if Putin really has gone cuckoo - he could sell that concept however he wants.
There appears to be increasing potential as life in Russia becomes harder, that Putin’s (horrific) actions in and towards Ukraine may lead to his overthrow/downfall…
That said, what he does to try and hold on to power, alongside military responses to the current situation in Ukraine (less ‘successful’ to date than he would have hoped) are very concerning still as others have mentioned.
Not to take anything away from what is happening to the people of Ukraine, I do wish we in the West would be similarly horrified by similar in other (brown) countries, including those in which we are implicated.
So much horror/suffering/trauma in the world right now (said from my relatively very safe and comfortable existence)…
Sadly yes… “we” (our politicians at least) do tend to be more likely to invest ourselves in the interest of others, when we are in fact personally invested in that space.
Reading last night of the Taliban blocking girls from an education, despite assurances when they resumed control of Afghanistan that girls could continue their education - very upsetting. But we’re not interested in that region any more…
Or the 55,000 Afghans who applied for one of the special visas Australia offered and are still waiting.
Seems Putin is looking for an out? Retracting the Nazi claims… withdrawing troops… Unless it’s all a ploy…
Worst case scenario… getting his troops out of the way of increased bombing to come?
I can’t believe this is still going… 
Reports are there’s been something like 100,000 lives lost on both sides.
I know Russia is not a place you can easily speak your mind (if it’s anti-Putin)… but that’s a HUGE loss of life!
Reading about the tanks now being sent into Ukraine, and the hope it allows them to evict the Russians, even as far as to say they could reclaim their original 1991 territory border… If that were to happen, I cannot imagine Putin accepting it - to not only have to admit defeat, but also LOSE territory that he’d previously captured.
Even if Russia withdraws and things settle - you’ve got millions of displaced Ukraines that wont be able to immediately return home… continuing to put pressure on European countries… and if history has anything to tell us - inviting Hitler/Trump-like hate speak.
Why can’t people be nice to one another, just for a change…
-The Doctor
I don’t really know what the answer is with this one. Should NATO have gone in there at the start with all guns blazing? It’s sort of proved that the United Nations is a bit of a toothless tiger, just like the League of Nations after WW I.
They’re between a rock and a hard place, if they commit their full strength to the Ukraine war and back Russia into a corner then they’ll leave no other option than tactical nukes (and that’s NOT a good place).
But not responding firmly would encourage Russia to believe that they’re able to ‘salami slice’ pieces of democratic countries that aren’t currently part of NATO without NATO taking effective action (as happened in 2014).
IMO they have to react strongly enough that Russia looks elsewhere but not too strongly that they’re pushed into going (tactical) nuclear.
Sometimes politics sucks.
Yeah, it does but I can’t help thinking that NATO or the United Nations should have reacted more strongly right at the start but it’s a bit difficult when you’re faced with a madman, as history has proved.
The UN is hamstrung by Russia having a right of veto in the Security Council
NATO is limited by the need to get agreement from 29(?) countries, Hungary and Turkey in particular.
The supply of tanks is laughable. It looks like the outcome of a committee. Small numbers of three different types of tanks, requiring two different types of fuel, and France likely to offer a fourth type. So that would be four different training requirements and four different sets of spare parts. None are apparently available now. It may take 3 to6 months before they are all available in Ukraine and ready for use.
It makes you wonder what would happen if Russia attacked a NATO country without giving 6 months notice.
Same as what’s happening now probably…