‘Escalate to de-escalate’: Intelligence analyst on Putin’s latest moves

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its 19th day the number of casualties is mounting.

Former intelligence analyst Dr David Wright-Neville told Neil Mitchell even conservative estimates put Russian losses at 3000.

“That’s more than the US lost in Afghanistan in 20 years,” he said on 3AW Mornings.

“So in 19 days, it looks like the the Russians have had more casualties than the 2461 Americans who were killed in Afghanistan for the 20 years that the United States was there.”

He said it’s the result of a strategy that involved short-term escalation.

“I think Putin’s playing a game here, it’s a strategy they call escalate to de-escalate,” Dr Wright-Neville said.

“That is you try and escalate things to the point where you force others to make concessions.”

“That’s what he’s done in the past in places like George, and in the Crimea, and in Syria, and it worked to his advantage.”

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