At around 5 AM local time, after a fiery speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a “special military operation” in Ukraine’s contested Donbas region. Of course, just as expected, the actual military operation that commenced had elements that occurred far outside of this region as Russian forces launched opening standoff missile attacks on command and control facilities, air defense sites, airbases, and other key targets in a move to blunt Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and shatter its command and control capabilities. The widespread use of land-attack cruise missiles was especially clear, along with long-range anti-radiation missiles used to knock out radar sites. Special operations also appeared to have played a major part in these opening maneuvers that were largely focused on ‘shaping the battlefield’ for what was still to come.
Meanwhile, it appears that a multi-pronged ground offensive emanating from Ukraine’s northeastern border with Russia, as well as south from Crimea, and north from Belarus, is still in its beginning stages. There is the worry that such a multi-directional attack could trap Ukrainian forces concentrated in the east, severing their supply lines from the west, while leaving the capital of Kyiv vulnerable to being sacked from the north. Amphibious operations are still a very real possibility, as well, with Odesa and Mariupol being prime targets. Regardless, at least as it stands now, by every indication, it appears the scale of Russia’s invasion operation is among the largest feared.
