This is John Batcheter, conversation with my colleague Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise

Institute asking does Moscow believe it's winning the war?

Michael's answer is complex.

The end of it is no. However, there are reasons for that. The news that

Moscow is now calling up mobilizing, drafting, recruiting, renting 180,000 additional combat soldiers to be

trained indicates that they're replacing someone or hundreds of thousands of someone.

Does Moscow believe it's winning the war in Ukraine?

Here's Michael Rubin.

More of this tonight.

I don't believe, I think deep down Moscow. of this

I don't believe I think deep down Moscow realizes it's not and I'll give two quick reasons for this first of all when we talk about all the

hundred thousand plus who are being mobilized now.

The question which everyone should be watching is, how many more than 100,000 are fleeing

to Eastern Europe because of this or to Azerbaijan or Armenia or Georgia.

How many are trying to get out of Russia?

And of these 100 plus thousand people,

how much of that is just natural replacement for those

who have already been killed or wounded?

I mean, I hate to say this, as the war continues for more than two years, you have a bunch of 16 and 17 year olds who have become 18

and 19 and may be sent to the front.

So that is one aspect of this which I think we need to pay attention to.

Also whether Russia is winning or not, or believes they're winning or not.

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