Ukrainian forces continue to fend off Russian troops as fighting persists Sunday, prompting apparent frustration from Russian President Vladimir Putin and questions regarding strategic miscalculations.
than Ukraine’s active-duty force, but Ukrainians continue to hold the capital city of Kyiv as Russian troops encircle it.
"They've been out in the field for a very long time, in the wintertime, which takes its toll," former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO, Michael Ryan, said in reference to the 150,000 Russian troops that were stationed along Ukraine’s border in the lead up to the invasion. "When you go out into combat, it requires initiative and understanding on the part of your soldiers to achieve the objectives against difficult odds – they just don't have that mindset," Ryan continued."They don't have that training. They don't have that flexibility that Western forces tend to have because of the way our cultures operate.
"His courageous decision to remain in Kyiv has clearly strengthened the resolve of the Ukrainian military and inspired ordinary citizens to stand and fight against the invaders," Anderson said.