Putin’s key supporters are now playing a desperate face-saving game in Ukraine | Olga Chyzh

Russia's humiliated military and intelligence blocs know they have let their leader down, and need the war to go on

Russia's war in Ukraine is not going according to plan. The sinking of the Moskva - the flagship of the Black Sea fleet - is the latest major military setback. In the course of almost two months, Russia has lost six major generals and between 15,000-20,000 troops, all the while failing to secure any appreciable gains.

Reports of low morale and defection, coupled with sightings of mercenaries deployed by the Kremlin, hint at recruitment problems. This, along with Russia's apparent inability to replenish lost military equipment - a consequence of western sanctions - has led some observers to wonder whether the Russian war machine is running out of road.

Olga Chyzh researches political violence and repressive regimes. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto