"If the EU and the USA are as strong militarily and economically as we are supposed to believe, why have their sanctions not had a clearer effect and why has Ukraine not succeeded in launching an effective counter-attack in its own country?"
That is a good question, and it has an answer that no one in the West should like at all.
"...utter madness."
Highly profitable madness. Smedley V. Butler well explained such madness and the 1000% profit margins lenders and boot makers attain by it.