900 Days: Russia's War in Ukraine Is Nothing Short of a Disaster for Putin
The war in Ukraine has reached its 900th day, far exceeding Russian President Vladimir Putin's original plans for a quick victory. The invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, has turned into a protracted conflict, with Russia failing to achieve its key objectives, including the capture of Kyiv and large parts of eastern Ukraine.
Summary and Key Points: The war in Ukraine has reached its 900th day, far exceeding Russian President Vladimir Putin's original plans for a quick victory. The invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, has turned into a protracted conflict, with Russia failing to achieve its key objectives, including the capture of Kyiv and large parts of eastern Ukraine.
-Ukrainian resistance, bolstered by Western military aid, has pushed Russian forces back, leading to significant casualties and economic costs for Moscow.
-Putin's ambitions have resulted in over half a million Russian casualties and more than $210 billion spent, with no clear end in sight.
900 Days of War: Ukraine Defies Putin's Invasion Plans
The war in Ukraine crossed a threshold few would have thought when the first Russian tanks rolled into the country in the early morning hours of February 24, 2022.
Today marks the 900th day of the conflict or almost thirty months of bitter fighting. And all for the vain ambition of a dictator. Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to enter into the annals of Russian legend. Instead, he has made himself a serious candidate for one of the worst figures of the 21st century.
Big Dreams, Poor Execution on Ukraine War
The Kremlin planned to invade from three main avenues (through the south, east, and north via Belarus). The prongs from the south and east were supporting efforts. Most of the attention and resources went on the attack from the north, which had the ultimate objective of surrounding Kyiv and forcing the Ukrainian government of Volodymyr Zelensky to capitulate.
The Russian military’s timetable expected a campaign that would last between three days and a few weeks. The Kremlin wanted large-scale fighting to be over within a month with as little destruction of infrastructure as possible. Ukraine, after all, was to be part of Russia, according to Moscow’s plan. Well, the Russian offensive didn’t go as planned.
Ukrainian resistance was much stiffer than anticipated, and the Russian Aerospace Forces failed to take out the Ukrainian air defenses and establish air superiority over the skies. Key Western military aid, especially in hand-held anti-tank and anti-air weapons, flowed into Ukraine and helped stop the Russian advances. The frontlines close to Kyiv stabilized. And the Ukrainians went on the counteroffensive, pushing the Russian forces back to their starting points.
Similarly in the east, the Russian Forces tried to capture Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, but failed at its gates.
The southern prong of the invasion was the most effective, and the Russian forces managed to capture large swaths of territory in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, including Kherson City. However, the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the fall of 2022, liberated a lot of the territory in the region.
“900 days on, these objectives have failed,” the British Military Intelligence stated.
Putin's Disaster
The Kremlin has been forced to reevaluate its objectives in the war. Nowadays, Putin and his advisers are looking for a negotiated peace that would grant Russia large swaths of Ukrainian territory currently under Russian control. The Crimean Peninsula is also non-negotiable for the Russians. Whether this new strategy is effective remains to be seen. In the meantime, the Russian troops suffer heavy losses.
“Since May 2024, the average daily Russian casualty count has been more than 1,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded. Russia has now likely suffered more than half a million needless casualties and deaths,” the British Military Intelligence stated.
But it isn’t just the human cost of the war. Moscow has spent more than $210 billion to directly finance the “special military operation” in Ukraine. “Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has cost far more and achieved far less than Putin planned. 900 days and counting,” the British Military Intelligence concluded.
About the Author
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
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