As Ukrainian forces recaptured thousands of square kilometers in a matter of weeks, Russian President Vladimir Putin mobilized an additional 300,000 troops to annex four Ukrainian regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia. Tensions seem to have reached their peak as both sides have never been more determined to win the war.
The conflict escalates. At the outset, however, Putin thought he would quickly overthrow Ukrainian power. On February 24, 2022, the fateful day of the invasion, the entire world held its breath and expected the country to fall in the next few hours. Nearly eight months later, the conclusion is clear: Nothing has gone as planned. Russia has traded its dominance of Ukraine to annex strategic territories in the south and east of the country, but the enterprise has yet to be crowned with victory.
Such a gap between initial Russian aspirations and the current conflict can be explained by three mistakes made by Putin. Three military, strategic, and diplomatic choices helped Ukrainians organize themselves, prompt the West to intervene, and expose the deep dysfunctions of the Russian command.
The decryption of our colleagues from LN24 can be found in the video above.
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