Ukraine has surprised the world by bringing Russia’s invasion to a standstill. Most of the world was aghast when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to attack its neighbour in late February. The new professional Russian army was expected to make sweeping advances, its reputation for effectiveness not yet earned but assumed.
However, Ukrainian resistance was much stronger than anticipated and Russian armoured columns were not only halted but in many cases destroyed as Ukraine leveraged what weapons it had to the greatest effect, its commitment to defend itself with great energy, surprising Russia and the world. Since then, Ukraine has seen a flood of arms as weapons pour in from Europe and the United States.
