Professor Michael Petersen, director of the Russia Maritime Studies Institute in the Strategic Studies Department of the US Naval War College, explains in an interview with Repubblica today that Vladimir Putin and Russia risk further humiliation after the Moskva sinks: “It is from the beginning of the war that Russia underestimates the Ukrainian armed forces. Now he pays the consequences». Even if the Ukrainians fear reprisals, it is now becoming difficult for Moscow to organize a landing in Odessa: “Anyone who has in mind a Normandystyle operation must change their mind: a similar mission in Odessa requires many men, and Russia already do not have enough. It could use as many as 3,0004,000 of them on board its ships, and there would be enormous logistical difficulties in supporting them after disembarking. The advance along the coast appears to have stalled at Cherson. And the bulk of the armed forces was transferred to the Donbass ». According to Petersen, the date of the victory announcement will not be May 9th: “I doubt it. He would happily pass it off as a victory, but there are only three weeks left in which Ukraine will continue to receive weapons from the West. And the forces of Kyiv seem to have recovered ». Finally, on the risk of an armed response: “We don’t know what his generals are telling him, but they won’t be able to sweeten such a bitter pill. Escalation may tempt Putin. But it is a move that risks provoking reactions from the western part as well, leading to further humiliation ».
