In a meeting of senior Russian commanders last Tuesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the Russian army had essentially achieved its main objectives for the first stage of their supposed “special military operation” in Ukraine. But the facts on the ground refute that assessment and reflect a much more dire situation than many in Russian leadership are letting on.

Instead, the steady stream of images, videos, news reports, and messages from the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine conflict suggests that the chaos on the ground will not lead to a favorable outcome for Russia. (Continue reading here…)