The war in Ukraine has now been going on for over 500 days, and it’s hard to believe that this protracted conflict has lasted this long in its current phase. We all remember February 24th, 2022, when Russian forces first advanced on Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. While it looked like Russian forces would inevitably take Kyiv and decapitate the Ukrainian government, logistical problems prevented this attack. President Volodymr Zelensky stood firm, and stayed in power. With this strong leadership and fortitude, the Ukrainians moved forward and marshaled their forces to protect their capital.
In this episode of Intel Insights, we are going to focus on the key events that have taken place since Russia’s attack in February 2022, the controversial use of cluster munitions on both sides, and Ukraine’s strong desire to become a NATO member. We’ll also discuss the significant divisions that have occurred in Russia’s military leadership structure, and how all of this continues to show not very smooth sailing for Russia in the war.
Now, there can still be some game changing events on the battlefield from either side, and that could change the way this dynamic unfolds. With more problems being aired out in the open about Russia’s leadership struggle happening, the top of the Russian political leadership structure may be impacted. If something happens to Vladmir Putin, the people who replace him might be even more belligerent and more willing to fight against the Ukrainians in an aggressive fashion. This would not only spell danger for Ukraine, but for those of us in the West as well, so it’s vital that we pay attention as the next few months of this war unfolds.
Interesting Fact:
The use of cluster munitions is very controversial. These were first used by the Russians in the first part of the war (around 24 or 25 times), with the most prominent being the attack on the train station in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, resulting in over 50 people being killed. This incident sparked international outrage, and Ukraine requested cluster munitions from the United States, which led to the United States providing these for Ukraine.
Episode Timestamps:
- Key events that have taken place since Russia’s attack on Ukraine on February 24th, 2022 {00:40}
- The controversial use of cluster munitions {04:45}
- Russia’s areas of superiority, as well as some limitations {07:20}
- The current situation involving Ukraine becoming a NATO member {10:30}
- Significant divisions within the Russian military leadership structure {14:45
“Ukraine feels that it deserves to be a member of NATO, and wanted to get in as a result of its long fight. In many ways, the Ukrainian military is probably the best fighting force on the European continent, but that’s a fighting force that still has interoperability issues. There are still issues with the way in which missions are executed, tactics are done, and operations are conducted, although the Ukrainians have incorporated a lot of NATO standard procedures. This really shows that they are capable of changing the way in which they fight wars. They’re also capable of moving forward in a very dynamic way, and that will bode well for the future.”
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