Ukraine cannot defeat Russia. Let's be realistic

There is still a lot of talk about how or if Ukraine can defeat Russia. Even within Nato there seems to be this fingers-crossed strategy that perhaps the awesomely inspirational Volodymyr Zelensky, backed by all the fancy weaponry being supplied to him, could actually win the war and drive the Russians back over the border. Zelensky obviously believes it because that's the sort of guy he is. But let's be realistic, there is no chance Ukraine can militarily defeat Russia, if, by defeat, you mean crush them into oblivion and send what remains packing back to where they came from. After all, the Russians and their loyal militia force have been at war with Ukraine in the eastern sector since 2014 and they were not defeated during that period. Neither side won but the fighting just ground on. That's what's happening now throughout Ukraine. No one is winning or losing. Large chunks of Ukrainian urban territory are being destroyed and the Kyiv forces are getting their revenge by striking pretty dramatically at Russian supplies and extending the war to Crimea. But Vladimir Putin didn't get where he is today by contemplating defeat at the hands of the Ukrainians or anyone else. He will be angry about the strikes on Crimea but, secretly, he will be telling himself that is exactly what he would he have done had he been Zelensky. So he will punish Zelensky somehow for daring to attack Crimea but he won't throw up his hands and tell his troops to come home. Putin is there for the long haul because he cannot under any circumstances lose face with that former comedian-turned-political leader in Kyiv. He has already sacked the commander of the Black Sea Fleet for failing to protect Crimea from attack and, in particular, for those eight naval fighter aircraft that were destroyed by the Ukrainians. But more fighter aircraft will no doubt be sent to Crimea in due course. The one thing that Putin will care about is any Ukrainian action in Moscow. The car-bomb murder of the daughter of one of his most trusted ideological advisers will have sent shivers down his spine. But I suspect that was an internal assassination plot, not another example of Ukrainian special forces. Whoever was behind it, Putin will be seriously worried about the bombing because it will make ordinary Russians think that they are not safe in the capital any longer. But Putin is not going to do anyone any favours by changing his stance on Ukraine. He wants Ukraine crushed and will keep going until he gets what he wants. Defeat of Russia in Ukraine I'm afraid is a nice dream, for Zelensky and for Nato. But it's a pipedream.