Daily Fail Publishes Claim That Putin Could Defeat NATO With 15,000 Troops

The article ignores the massive losses Russia has already suffered in its invasion of Ukraine.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The British tabloid Daily Mail has published an article claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin could defeat NATO with just 15,000 troops, despite the fact that Russia has already lost thousands of troops in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The article is being widely mocked online for its absurd and unrealistic assessment of Russia's military capabilities.

Why it matters

This type of sensationalist and inaccurate reporting from the Daily Mail contributes to the spread of misinformation about the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Russia's true military strength. It's important to counter such claims with facts about the heavy losses Russia has already sustained in the war.

The details

The Daily Mail article argues that Putin could defeat NATO with a relatively small force of 15,000 troops, claiming that Russia's military has gained valuable combat experience from the war in Ukraine. However, reports indicate that Russia has already lost tens of thousands of troops in the conflict, significantly weakening its military capabilities.

  • Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

The players

Vladimir Putin

The president of Russia who ordered the invasion of Ukraine.

Daily Mail

A British tabloid newspaper known for publishing sensationalist and sometimes inaccurate articles.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously ridiculous, but I do wonder how Russia would stand up with four years of practice in large scale modern war under their belt.”

— Karla_Jean (fark.com)

“If you and I stand there and whack each other in the tits with a plastic ruler, we won't develop Superman pecs, just sore nipples.”

— Karla_Jean (fark.com)

The takeaway

This article from the Daily Mail is a prime example of the kind of misinformation and sensationalism that can spread during times of conflict. It's important for readers to be critical of such claims and to seek out reliable, fact-based reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war and its impacts.