Part 4/10:
Pletka adds that Putin’s purge of military officials may be motivated by a desire to hide failures rather than genuinely improve his military efforts. She remarks that despite setbacks, Russia has yet to achieve victory or meaningful progress, which is remarkable considering the military might contrast with Ukraine. Hewitt and Pletka express concern that Putin’s inability to adapt or make effective choices signals deeper systemic issues related to information flow and leadership stability.
Both agree that this raises alarms about Russia’s future actions and the potential for escalation if Putin’s decision-making remains flawed and opaque. The broader worry is whether miscalculations could lead to increased conflict or unintended consequences.