What is certain is that Putin was surprised, he had not calculated the strength of the opponent. With the invasion, the Russian soldiers realized that it was not an exercise.
It is something between a guerrilla struggle and a popular uprising that we see in Ukraine after the invasion of Russian forces. With rapid, agile strikes, Ukrainian troops have slowed Russian advance in a way that has forced the Russians to retreat even further. Many Western experts were taken by surprise. They hardly expected such a thing and have no words to express their admiration. But one thing is certain: President Putin, who had not calculated the strength of the adversary well in his offensive war, was more surprised.
Heroic Ukrainian resistance
If we take as a point of reference the supply of fuel and food to the Russian soldiers, Putin should have believed in a victory within 4 days, as a Western official estimated in Berlin. Instead, the image of a 70-kilometer procession of military vehicles and armor has been immobilized for days due to lack of fuel, mechanical damage and Ukrainian attacks. In addition, there was a lack of trust among Russian soldiers, some of whom realized as soon as they crossed the border that it was no longer a military exercise. Western intelligence services are carefully evaluating a large number of photos and videos showing damaged Russian tanks. Most likely, at least three top Russian commanders were killed trying to get the procession back on track. By handing over light weapons fired from the shoulder, NATO countries and Germany are supporting Ukraine’s tactics. With 1,000 modern anti-tank missiles and 500 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles sent by Germany, the Ukrainians are forcing Russian aircraft to fly at altitudes of more than 3,000 meters in some cases, which helps reduce the accuracy of the strike.
Surprisingly, the United States gave free rein to Urania to supply fighter jets. In the first phase of the Russian offensive, a Ukrainian fighter pilot who had come under pressure from a Suchoi Su-27 flew to NATO Romania, where it was refueled and returned to Ukrainian airspace, a process that was extremely politically precarious. Putin is now trying to become even more aggressive. Where there is no military success, it intervenes even more brutally. “The coveted images of women waving bouquets and children shining with joy have not come,” said Hans-Lothar Domreze, a former NATO general. “Obviously he did not count on this heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people led by the exemplary President Zelensky. The Ukrainians are already fighting like partisans and causing problems for the Russians, it is an excellent partisan war for Putin, an Afghanistan 2-0, the Ukrainians “And that’s right,” says Domreze. “This is not an easy victory and it will be terrible.”
“Putin had imagined a quick victory“
According to the former NATO general, Ukraine could win this war morally, Putin technically and regularly, in the worst case, would overthrow Ukraine and take the population hostage. What he is advising now is for the UN to intervene, if possible, in the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine, “not to think only from the perspective of NATO. The international community must be shaken.” But, “the first priority must be humanitarian aid, up to the bread and butter, everything that helps people, every human being, every child, babies, fathers, mothers, humanity.”
But Domreze has great doubts about the chances of a military victory for Ukraine. Another senior acting officer said a possible victory would be a miracle. However, Ukraine could significantly delay the advance, and images of the dead and wounded would travel around the world, including among Russian soldiers. Former NATO general Egon Rams, on the other hand, told German television channel ZDF that he considered a Ukrainian victory quite possible. “Putin’s decision a few days after the invasion to pull out the nuclear threat shows just how much he is growing in despair,” Ephraim Levy, a former Mossad foreign intelligence chief, told Haaretz, noting the lack of experience and motivation among soldiers.
Russia is isolated internationally, Putin’s prestige has been severely damaged – both internationally and domestically. The challenge facing the United States is how to help Ukraine by offering Putin a decent way out of the impasse. Israel has been involved in the negotiation effort. But the signs of the times in the war zone do not seem to indicate peace. In Berlin, Marie-Agnes Strak-Zimmermann, chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense, said Putin had imagined a faster military advance and had not calculated Ukraine’s combat capability. “I guess the fighting will continue for a long time and Putin will probably launch even more dirty attacks. He does not even keep his word about alleged attacks only on military infrastructure. It violates the rules of international humanitarian law, which stipulates armed conflict the suffering of the civilian population must be kept to a minimum. “
Carsten Hoffman/ dpa
Edited by: Irini Anastassopoulou
Source: Deutsche Welle
Source: Capital
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