The recent anniversary of Russia’s expanded invasion, which is now stretching into its fifth year, is as good a time as any to take stock of the state of the war itself.
For Ukraine, the fighting remains existential, and it is Ukrainians themselves who continue to suffer and to sacrifice not just on behalf of their own defense, but on behalf of broader stability in Europe. Somehow, though, many Western partners still fail to see one clear fact: that it is Russia, and not Ukraine, who has suffered a staggering strategic failure because of this war.
This perception is perhaps understandable. The steady, day-to-day drip of news from the front line paints a picture of a war of attrition, with a larger Russia and its supposed manpower reserves at a natural advantage.
