Russia touts ‘war with NATO’ amid losses in Ukraine

Key Points:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin, appearing in military attire, listened to General Valery Gerasimov claim that Ukraine's battlefield gains are exaggerated and attributed to Western support, urging further analysis of Western involvement in the conflict.
• Putin falsely asserted that Russian forces had fully liberated the eastern city of Kostiantynivka and claimed significant territorial gains in Ukraine, while independent data shows minimal advances and ongoing Ukrainian control in contested areas.
• Kremlin narratives aim to portray the conflict as a war against NATO rather than Ukraine alone, justifying prolonged hostilities and potential wider mobilization amid domestic challenges like fuel shortages and economic problems.
• Russian officials, including Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, have openly acknowledged the conflict as a "war" involving Western nations backing Kyiv, a shift from previous denials and a tactic to rationalize military setbacks.
• Moscow accuses NATO of escalating the conflict by integrating Ukraine and supplying advanced weaponry, a claim ridiculed by Ukrainian servicemen who emphasize Ukraine's own military effectiveness rather than attributing success solely to Western support.