Learning from Recent Wars: Observations from the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and the Russian-Ukrainian War

摘要

On 24 February 2022, the Russians miscalculated the nature of the war they unleashed on Ukraine. They expected and planned for a quick victory. NATO also failed to understand that the Ukrainians would fight. When the US offered to evacuate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from Kiev on 26 February 2022, Zelensky's reply, "I don't need a ride, I need more ammunition," electrified and rallied his nation. Russia's intent appeared to be to stun the Ukrainians with short but fierce missile strikes and then overrun them in a lightning assault.