Putin's army was disorganized, armed with poor intelligence, and it underestimated the resolve of Ukraine's resistance
hen Russia launched its offensive on Ukraine last year, the Kremlin–– and many Western observers––expected it would not be long before Russia captured Kyiv and ousted President Volodymyr Zelensky. But at the one-year anniversary of the war, it’s become clear that Ukraine has not only been able to withstand the assault—it’s succeeded in regaining control of key territories.
“It has taken the Kremlin months and months to start to belatedly treat this as the large-scale conventional war it is, rather than a quick operation to ‘de-Nazify’ Ukraine,” says Mason Clark, a senior analyst for the Institute for the Study of War. A New York Times investigation says that Russia fired missiles based on old maps and bad intelligence, a move that did little to hinder Ukrainian air defenses. Russian soldiers called home on their cell phones, allowing Ukrainians to track their locations through the signals.
President Zelensky attends a military drill outside the city of Rivne, northern Ukraine on February 16, 2022.Zelensky’s decision to remain in Ukraine, and his impassioned speeches delivered over social media, inspired many Ukrainians to push back against Russian invasion. “Putin certainly thought he had a better chance of dividing Europe than he actually did.” says Clark, “Instead Western support has been unified for Ukraine.”Russia’s flawed military strategy has led to a catch-22 for the military, says Clark. “They’re facing this challenge where they need to concentrate munitions, fuel, and other supplies close to the front line, but that exposes them to very accurate Ukrainian artillery fire and airstrikes.” Clark says.
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