Yes, Absolutely.

They try to cope, but even in this--not enough real professionalism. 

Despite claims of battlefield momentum in Ukraine, the data shows that Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains and is in decline as a major power. Since February 2022, Russian forces have suffered nearly 1.2 million casualties, more losses than any major power in any war since World War II. At current rates, combined Russian and Ukrainian casualties could reach 2 million by the spring of 2026. After seizing the initiative in 2024, Russian forces have advanced at an average rate of between 15 and 70 meters per day in their most prominent offensives, slower than almost any major offensive campaign in any war in the last century. Meanwhile, Russia’s war economy is under mounting strain, with manufacturing declining, slowing growth of 0.6 percent in 2025, and no globally competitive technology firms to help drive long-term productivity.

This is from CSIS. This drivel is produced by one boy and this dude. 

Prior to CSIS, Dr. Jones was director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation. Before that, he served in several positions in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and U.S. Special Operations Command. He served as representative for the commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations. He was also a plans officer and adviser to the commanding general, U.S. Special Operations Forces, in Afghanistan (Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command–Afghanistan). Dr. Jones served on a congressionally mandated panel that reviewed the FBI’s implementation of counterterrorism recommendations contained in the 9/11 Commission Report.

Dr. Jones despite a fountain of "credentials" does not understand war, as most of Pentagon doesn't and despite his good-sounding CV would be laughed out with his level of awareness (euphemism for butthurt) because he is ... a political "scientist", meaning he has no viable academic and experience bases to pass judgement on anything other than upcoming Oscars and new line of lingerie from Victoria Secret. RAND at which this "academic" worked too didn't produce any serious strategic paper like ... ever, and the high pitch coping and continuing to come up with numbers, such as "production of Iskanders" by these amateurs is met with Homeric laughter among people who are responsible for both manufacturing and combat use of these systems. But I am sure that Jones knows better. Of course he does--look at the war record of "the finest fighting force in history". 

And so, they cope, hard, because the butthurt is insufferable and recognizing oneself being in the midst of the collapsing structure of military fairy tales is extremely painful. It also requires a personal courage to face the reality. But the guy continues to produce things like this compendium of amateurish military BS and propaganda not understanding that he and his buddies from Capitol Hill and Pentagon do not have a tool kit to recognize how badly they lost. Meanwhile Russians, using Iskanders, organized the slaughter of US HIMARS in 404. 

But then again, can you imagine what it takes to explain to American political "scientist" what modern RUK/ROK are, how they integrate into overall netcentric structure of Russian military, and how real air defense should work. Nope, impossible. Here is Larry explaining how the famous now colonel ... well, read for yourself)). 

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon (a retired British Army colonel, former commander of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment, chemical weapons expert, and frequent commentator on defense/military matters) is at it again, having just published an article on January 30, 2026 in the Telegraph titled, “Desperate Putin is coming to the end of the road” (also headlined as “Putin’s army is on its knees. When it still has them”). This is not the first time that Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon makes a fool of himself… He has a proven track record of being completely wrong about the war in Ukraine. Consider his bold and totally wrong predictions on Ukraine’s 2023 offensive that was supposed to push the Russians into the Black Sea. (Spoiler alert: The Russians completely defeated the Ukrainian offensive by the end of August 2023.)

Delusion is a foundation of military edukeishn in NATO. 

And, in conclusion--Happy Birthday to Larry. We all wish him good health, good fortune and long-long years of productive life.