How Long Will the War in Ukraine Last?
For as long as it takes Putin to build his Russian Third Reich
On September 11th, 2001, a Boeing 767–223ER and a Boeing 767–200 slammed into the World Trade Centers, murdering 2,763 people.
In order to bolster his poll numbers, guarantee his re-election, fund his weapons manufacturing corporate sponsors, and secure his country some cheap crude oil, American President George W. Bush, along with Vice President Dick Cheney and a cartel of war criminals, concocted a story that was later proven patently false: That Saddam Hussein was in possession of weapons of mass destruction.
Under the pretext of liberation — the special operation was named Operation Iraqi Freedom— America declared Iraq’s government illegitimate and invaded on March 19th, 2003.
The initial invasion was met with fierce resistance, and maintaining control of the nation proved far more costly than America had predicted.
Let’s be brutally honest: It was a bloodbath:
1,033,000 of our Iraqi brothers and sisters died.
9.2 million fled as refugees.
Thousands of cities, towns, and villages were destroyed.
America and its allies lost 25,071 soldiers, with another 117,961 wounded.
Last week, Russian troops initiated a “special operation,” invading the sovereign nation of Ukraine after declaring its government illegitimate. Perhaps simply to troll the USA, the Russian government also announced that Ukraine may be working on weapons of mass destruction.
Met with vociferously fierce resistance, dictator Vladimir Putin seriously underestimated the skill and will of the forces stacked against him.
In other words, Russia just pulled an America.
Just like the US did to Iraq and Afghanistan and Syria, Russia is currently grinding Ukraine into mincemeat.
Perhaps the best comparison is Aleppo. If you lined up photos of Chernihiv and Aleppo, most people would have an extremely hard time telling them apart.
But Ukrainians will not go gentle into that good night.
Oh no.
Ukraine is a nation of Spartan-like warriors, the victims of unending hardship thanks to their vast resources, rich chernozem soil, and strategic location on the Black Sea:
They survived World War I, despite the murder of 1.5 million Ukrainians.
They survived the Holodomor, despite the murder of 3.9 million Ukrainians.
They survived the Holocaust, despite the murder of 1.6 million Ukrainians.
They survived World War II, despite the murder of 5 million Ukrainians and the destruction of 700 cities and 28,000 villages, leaving 10 million homeless.
They survived the Great Purge.
They survived Chernobyl, with 3 million Ukrainian victims.
They survived the occupation of Crimea.
They survived the occupation of their eastern states.
They will survive Vladimir Putin, but it will take an unfathomable toll on millions of everyday Ukrainians and Russians.
Think about it: Assuming Putin takes Kyiv and ousts the Zelenskyy government, do you predict any nation will suddenly roll back its sanctions?
Do you see Putin returning home without leaving a massive American-style army to “secure the peace?”
No.
That’s why analysts are saying the Russian war in Ukraine could last for…
Wait for it…
Ten to fifteen years.
It took America eighteen years to get out of Iraq, and the US had literally nothing to show for it — aside from piles of dead corpses, several trillion dollars in federal debt, and a whole host of new enemies.
You think the Ukrainians are going to put up any less of a fight?
Not a chance.
While the Zelenskyy government could fall within weeks, this is a war story we may very well still be following past 2040.
Let’s pray and hope that history doesn’t repeat itself — but don’t hold your breath.
How long will Russia’s war in Ukraine last?
Until the last Ukrainian is done fighting.
What does this mean for Christians around the world?
The same as ever: Pray and hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and practice the work of redemption come what may.
“If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” — Yakob ben Yoseph, brother of Jesus of Nazareth