JRL NEWSWATCH: “‘Diminishing returns’: What can change the course for Putin in the Ukraine war?” – Washington Post
“… Putin … has snuffed out dissent, muzzled independent media and bolstered a security state to prevent protests … fac[ing] far fewer domestic constraints in waging such a war than the leader of a democratic nation would. … [R]evenue from … oil and gas …, despite Western sanctions, … is helping … ease the blow of harsh economic sanctions at home. But Putin does face … tactical strictures on the battlefield … [and] some geopolitical and economic constraints. … probably mak[ing] his ability to wage a long war in Ukraine more difficult but far from impossible. … The Russian military’s draft of new conscripts begins April 1 … Putin will need to issue a decree … on how many new soldiers … must enlist. … [and] decide whether to hold on to existing conscripts due to the losses in Ukraine. … [A] multifront war over the long term will require significantly more forces and a broader mobilization ….”