Okonkwo Samuel
In the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, either on the first or second day, I argued that if Ukraine can withstand Russia for a few more days, that if they can drag the war to the point where the potty Putin is made to deploy more personnel, then, it would be counted to the Ukrainians as victory.
Russia didn’t expect any resistance. They called it a “Special Military Operation” because they were expecting an easy capitulation of Ukrainians. They expected a quick victory with the most minimal of losses. This much was made clear in Putin’s message to Ukrainians on the first day of the invasion. He directly told the Ukrainian military to “drop their weapons and go home”. He tried to work on their minds, to frighten them, to make them think they don’t have a single chance against his military. And of course, nobody expected Ukraine to stand a chance against a military that is at least, eight times stronger, bigger, more advanced and more sophisticated.
But, leadership is making all the difference, and it’s coming from an artiste, a comedian and one who might not even know how to fire an assault rifle.
President Zelensky has made all the difference. He has, in a very short time, inspired his country to stand up to the aggressor. He has inflicted the worst damage, imaginable, to the Russian invaders – five Russian generals are already dead, more than 15,000 military men dead, helicopters, aircrafts, ships, etc have been destroyed.
The success of the Ukrainian resistance is turning the heat on Putin at home. More Russians at home are standing up to challenge him, to speak out against the war. Somehow, Zelensky has exposed Putin as not being superhuman. Ordinary Russians are beginning to understand that their President is indeed, human, and not a kind of God, and they are standing up and speaking up.
Whatever happens, Ukraine has won the war already. And they are winning the war for the free world, for democracy and for peace. It is only a matter of time, and the world would have been rid of one more bully.
Congratulations to Ukraine!
