Desert Storm was probably the most well-planned and well-executed military operation the past 40 years.  So that's a high bar to clear.


Russia must've thought they could use paratroopers (VDV) to capture strategic sites, take cities quickly or bypass them entirely, and force Kyiv to surrender within just a few days.  Man, were they in for a surprise!

Btw, the US warned Ukraine about Hostomel.  The Ukrainians might've predicted such a move as well, because they had rapid response units paste those paratroopers and retake those airfields quickly.

Quote from: Cassia on August 18, 2022, 02:54:06 PMThe surprise to me is the complete lack of Russian air superiority.

Both sides deployed some serious AA early into the war and the air force now has to either stick to friendly territory or fly dangerously close to the ground to avoid being shot down.  Curiously, the Russians haven't made destroying AA a high priority.  Definitely a mistake.  Hopefully, Ukraine gets a chance to clear out enough Russian AA to fly in relative safety.