On February 24, Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military to invade Ukraine. And thus, an unprecedented attack began.

The lead up to the actual incursion was visible, talked about, and even handicapped as to the day it would begin.  It was clear the Russian bear was hungry to claim (or reclaim) Ukraine as its own.

Putin had been very open about his desire to reestablish the U.S.S.R.  He has been consumed by the downfall of his country.  Nobody deluded themselves about the problem he could be if he acted out his desires.

Having been successful with the invasion and annexing the Crimea region in 2014, he waited until now to invade once again.  Politically, the pundits aim at the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan as the match that started this war.  While the US was distracted by our own picadilloes and domestic disruptions, namely the supply chain delays, rising prices, the open southern border, the Covid pandemic, and opposing social agendas, the Russian army entered Ukraine with a superior force.

The predictions were that the incursion would be swift and totally one sided with Kiev falling in only a few weeks.  What wasn’t anticipated was the steel in the spine of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and the people.  Fierce and determined to defend what was theirs against all odds, they thwarted advances on many fronts.

As if in slow motion the nations of the world were shamed into action.  The Churchillian stature of Zelenskyy was impossible to ignore as he openly and forcefully prompted the countries to supply the weaponry that he needed.  He understood that this was his fight and reinforcements were not coming, though he made the case that his stand meant more than the sovereignty of Ukraine but the future of democracies around the globe.

To me the leaders of NATO countries were light weights in their capitulation to the Putin sword rattling. The fear of WWIII and tactical nukes froze more effective responses.  Everything except aircraft were sent to Ukraine.  I never quite understood the difference. After all, aircraft are merely another form of weaponry.  Are drones not aircraft?  They can be just as lethal as a fighter jet.

As the war reached the two-month mark, it became apparent that Russia was not going to be successful in the wholesale capture of Ukraine, but damage it, destroy towns and villages, and kill civilians, it certainly continued to rain down bombs and missiles. At times the impacts seemed indiscriminate, designed for the maximum fear effect and other times more strategic (train stations, powerplants and munition stores). The Russian war machine has proved to be inept, unskilled, and chaotic. Ukraine has exposed the reality of the Russian military. Not quite a paper tiger, but surely not a mature predator.

War is ugly in any iteration but the images of mass graves, bodies lying in the road, and obvious executions are stomach turning.  There is no way that Putin can avoid being an outcast on the world stage.  Never more considered a statesman but labeled a war criminal in front of all mankind.

“Glory to Ukraine”