He isn't saying that a woman would not have started the war. So either he claims any woman leader would be so incompetent that Russia would lose the war, or so competent that she would win the war faster (which would according to him be a good thing).
The last time a woman ruled Russia they conquered Crimea and eastern and southern Ukraine.
Eastern Ukraine was already part of Russia since 1654, Catherine II conquered Western Ukraine without Galizia.
I mean I just thought of Galizia as Western Ukraine.