I haven’t written very much here lately. No good reason. Just haven’t. That said, I’m inspired today to write something about the war in Ukraine.
It’s been a year now since Russia invaded Ukraine. A year of hell for those people. A year later, there’s not a lot of indication that it will end anytime soon.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a video of what this past year has been like for his country. It’s heartbreaking to see the despair on the faces of the Ukrainian people.
The video also shows the resolve and courage of the Ukrainian people. President Zelensky says, “It was a year of pain, sorrow, faith and unity. And this year, we remain invincible. We know that 2023 will be the year of victory.”
The United Nations General Assembly has approved a non-binding resolution that calls on Russia to end the hostilities and withdraw its forces. Russia said no.
Here’s the cost of this war so far. According to Fox News, One hundred thousand Ukrainians have died. It’s estimated the Russians have lost twice that many soldiers. The overall damage costs from the Russian invasion is around $350 billion dollars. The United States has given Ukraine about $75 billion so far.
I must say, I was impressed with how President Biden managed to get into and out of Ukraine safely this week. He wanted to pay tribute to the Ukrainian resilience and pledge continued American support.
That might become a point of contention. A year into this, Americans are divided on the amount of support. A Fox News survey says 50 percent of us think the United States should back Ukraine for as long as it takes to win. 46 percent believe our time should be limited. An NBC News poll has similar results.
The Wall Street Journal today has a story about how the war in Ukraine has changed the world. It has driven up food and energy prices. It has invigorated NATO. It has revived American influence abroad.
When this war started one year ago today, the thinking was that Kyiv would fall in three days. It’s been a year and it still hasn’t happened.
Vladimir Putin and the Russian military have handled this badly. Historically, badly. The mighty Russian military has not lived up to its hype.
There’s another reason that Kyiv still stands. President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people. Think about it. A year into this and they are still resolved to win.
This statistic says it all. Right now, a year into the war, Russia controls sixteen percent of Ukrainian territory. It has had to give back half of what it initially captured.
It’s been a year, or as President Zelensky calls this anniversary, “The longest day of our lives.”