Crimea: A Taboo

A public mood has been created whereby nothing but complete victory will do. Western military analysis now is that for the Ukrainians to go further and to reconquer all the territory lost since 2014 will be extremely difficult for them. If the Russians stand on the defensive as they now clearly intend to do, dig in and use their artillery superiority, the Ukrainians will have a very hard time. There is also the belief that Russia would in the last resort escalate very serious if Crimea did seem to come under threat.