Ukraine’s 10 day long, 20 kilometre drive into Russian territory has already shattered the idea that Russia is inevitably winning this war. For the 12 months since the failure of their 2023 counter-offensive, Ukrainians could only stolidly endure. They have fought grinding and mostly losing defensive battles in Donbass, prolonged US Congressional stalling of military aid, and relentless pounding of their cities and people.

Now Ukrainians have seized back some of the initiative.