Four years into the Ukraine war, Moscow sees vindication, not failure

Al JazeeraEN 5 min read 100% complete by Leonid RagozinFebruary 25, 2026 at 02:00 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

In February 2026, as the Ukraine war enters its fifth year, Moscow believes the 2022 invasion was a necessary gamble, not a failure. Russian political elites view the war as ending on their terms, driven by pragmatic motives, primarily to prevent NATO expansion towards Russia's borders. The conflict allowed security elites to eliminate pro-Western opposition and consolidate power. The decision to invade also stemmed from Ukraine's initial attempts at rapprochement with Russia under President Zelenskyy, which were later abandoned due to internal pressures. Many Russians see the war as a proxy conflict with NATO, benefiting security elites and hawkish Western lobbyists.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Donbas region 40% Volodymyr Zelenskyy ×250% Moscow 50% NATO ×260% Ukraine ×370% Russia ×370% Vladimir Putin ×280%

Keywords

ukraine war 100% russia 90% vladimir putin 80% nato expansion 70% security elites 60% western perception 60% proxy war 50% political hegemony 40% volodymyr zelenskyy 40%