Reporting from CNN, “The last week has seen a stunning transformation of the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, as a swift armored offensive by Ukrainian forces rolled through lines of Russian defenses and recaptured more than 3,000 square kilometers of territory. That is more territory than Russian forces have captured in all their operations in Ukraine since April. As much as the offensive was brilliantly conceived and executed, it also succeeded because of Russian inadequacies. Throughout swathes of the Kharkiv region, Russian units were poorly organized and equipped — and many offered little resistance.” Wow!
I feel it necessary to apologize again for underestimating Ukraine and the West’s alliance and overestimating Russia. In my weak defense, however, everyone thought the same, except for Ukrainians and Putin. I guess one must never take for granted the resolve of a citizenry whose homeland has been invaded, nor should we forget that Russia, once an evil nation, is always an evil nation. To be sure, Russia is a dangerous country only because it is wildly dangerous, not a disciplined danger.