Part 2/8:
Initially, Russia's incursion into Ukraine was predicted to be swift and decisive, similar to its earlier campaigns in Georgia in 2008 and Crimea in 2014. Both instances were characterized by rapid control and minimal resistance. However, the expectation that Ukraine would concede as easily this time proved to be a fundamental miscalculation. The struggles faced by Russia’s military upon invading Ukraine, where early strategies were ineffective, indicate a shift in Ukraine’s defensive capabilities and collective national identity forged through resistance.