SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING – For Ukraine, the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion offered reasons for hope. The country had thwarted the initial assault on Kyiv, routed Russian forces in Kharkiv and Kherson, inflicted staggering levels of Russian casualties and made a global hero of the comedian-turned-president Volodymyr Zelensky. The courage and prowess of the Ukrainians, along with Russia’s brutality, had accomplished the reverse of what Vladimir Putin had intended: NATO was galvanized, and Ukraine won a huge outlay of financial and military aid. One year ago, a Ukrainian counteroffensive loomed, and some Western officials and analysts suggested Putin and his “special military operation” were on the ropes.
On February 24, 2023, Zelensky marked the anniversary with a vow: “We know that 2023 will be the year of our victory!”
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