Putin’s Delusional Dream: Why Conquering the Donbass is a Fool’s Errand

Christian Baghai
4 min readSep 6, 2024

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Vladimir Putin’s insistence on conquering the Donbass is not just a strategic miscalculation but a stark example of his growing detachment from reality. While the world watches in disbelief, he continues to push for territorial gains that no longer align with the military and geopolitical reality. His latest declaration that capturing the Donbass is Russia’s “primary objective” feels less like a coherent military strategy and more like the delusional fantasy of a leader who’s losing his grip on power.

At the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin boasted about his military’s progress in stabilizing areas like Kursk while continuing their offensive in the Donbass, seemingly oblivious to the catastrophic losses his forces have sustained. He spoke with a self-congratulatory tone, claiming his forces were “gradually squeezing” Ukraine out of the Donbass, ignoring the fact that Russian troops have been beaten back and humiliated on numerous occasions by a much smaller but more determined Ukrainian military. This is not the speech of a leader triumphantly marching towards victory, but of one desperately trying to maintain a narrative of control.

The absurdity of Putin’s remarks is underscored by the broader context of Russia’s performance in the war. Despite his claims, the Russian military has struggled to make meaningful advances, and the costs of the war — in both lives and resources — have become unsustainable. Economic sanctions have crippled Russia, and its international reputation has been tarnished. Yet Putin continues to act as if none of this is happening, as if his “victory” is just around the corner.

Beyond his military failures, Putin’s rhetoric reveals a dangerous mix of arrogance and ignorance. He talks about “stabilizing” regions and “conquering” the Donbass, all while ignoring the economic devastation his policies have brought upon Russia itself. The Donbass isn’t some grand prize waiting to be claimed; it’s a war-ravaged region where millions have been displaced and entire cities lie in ruins. Yet, Putin seems intent on doubling down on his imperial ambitions, showing an almost moronic level of stubbornness and a complete inability to adjust to modern geopolitical realities.

His outlandish remarks don’t stop with the Donbass. During the same forum, Putin heaped praise on Elon Musk and complained about the West’s interference in Russian affairs, conveniently ignoring Russia’s history of meddling in its neighbors’ affairs. It’s this kind of self-serving delusion that highlights just how far removed Putin is from reality. He’s not playing chess on the global stage — he’s playing a game entirely of his own invention, where the rules make sense only to him.

In the end, Putin’s pursuit of the Donbass as his ultimate goal reveals more about his insecurities than it does about any real strategy. His failure to adapt to the changing tides of war, combined with his reckless rhetoric, paints a picture of a leader who is not only out of touch but dangerously so. The world has moved on, and yet Putin clings to the past, trying to revive an empire that no longer exists. His dream of “conquering” the Donbass is just that — a dream, and one that is quickly turning into a nightmare for Russia.

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