I have admired the fighting spirit of the Ukrainian forces and have followed this conflict closely. I remember the graphs and charts comparing the sizes of the two armies, and how many believed that it would be a quick rush to Kyiv, with Russia taking the entire country within days and then facing a guerrilla war. What did Biden say before the invasion? He essentially gave his blessing for a “minor incursion.” I recall the Russian convoy that stalled due to logistics issues on its way to the capital, and Putin's initial frustration when he realized he had bitten off more than he could chew. The Biden administration even offered to help Zelensky flee ahead of Russia's expected occupation of Kyiv, but he chose to stay, fight, and potentially die, thus inspiring his army with his resolve.
Any thoughts Putin may have had about continuing on to conquer neighboring countries are likely just pipe dreams. How long can he sustain a military operation that leads to a stalemate? He is supplementing his poorly trained and equipped conscript army with North Korean troops. He knows that invading Poland or any other NATO country would lead to World War III. Many remember Russia's fate in Afghanistan, but few recall the even higher losses it sustained in the Chechen conflict. The casualties Russia is suffering in Ukraine far surpass those from both of those conflicts, and they are happening in a fraction of the time. Ukraine has become an absolute meat grinder, and they are striking back with conventional military forces inside Russia. While Chechen forces struck within Russia, it was considered a terrorist attack, and they were never able to hold any ground.
Putting aside the questions of fault or politics, the fact remains that Ukrainian soldiers are bravely fighting and dying to defend their homeland from an invading army. They have everything to lose, while the conscripts sent as cannon fodder lack that same motivation and initiative.
