On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a “special military operation” against Ukraine, marking the start of the biggest military offensive in Europe since World War II. One month on, Russia's invasion remains largely frustrated by the dogged resistance of Ukrainians, with no end in sight for a conflict that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions of civilians.
Despite the relentless shelling of a number of Ukrainian cities, Russia is still far from taking control of the country. FRANCE 24’s international affairs editor Philip Turle says there are a number of contributing factors that can explain why the invasion has not gone according to plan.
“Vladimir Putin thought he could roll into Ukraine and the Ukrainians would roll over (...). But it's not gone that way," Turle said. “Since 2014, the Ukrainians have become much more wary of Russia’s intentions. This is something Putin overlooked when he launched the invasion."
The other reason is that the Russians have failed to take control of the main cities, he added. “Even Kharkiv, which is on the border with Russia, is still not completely in Russian hands. The only city (under Russian control) is Kherson. Kyiv has not fallen. There is incessant fighting and bombardement in Mariupol but much of the city is still in the hands of the Ukrainians.”
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