Is Russia losing the war?
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 14 March 2022
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Many experts predicted that Russia would take Ukraine in a matter of days –– but fighting is now in its third week. Today on Post Reports, the failures of Russia’s military strategy, the surprising strength of Ukrainian forces, and how this could end.
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Almost three weeks into the Russian assault on Ukraine, Kyiv remains under Ukrainian control, to the surprise of many onlookers.
“I think, broadly, there are two big reasons,” says national security reporter Shane Harris. “First, the Ukrainian people’s will to fight is, I think, greater than a lot of people had anticipated –– particularly Vladimir Putin. The second is that this ferocious, feared Russian military has turned out to be a lot less, maybe, than people had thought it was.”
On today’s episode of Post Reports, Shane and Martine discuss the mistakes of the Russian military apparatus and the strength of the underestimated Ukrainian forces and game out scenarios for the end of the war.
Plus, we hear from reporter Sudarsan Raghavan in Kyiv about the local orchestra playing in the city’s Independence Square. “Fortunately, it was extremely quiet during the performance,” Sudarsan says. “We didn't hear any shells landing. A few moments afterwards, air raid sirens went off and people moved away from the square.”
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Last week in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, a city that has been bombarded with missile |
| 0:16.5 | strikes and air assaults, there was a concert. |
| 0:21.2 | The Kiev classic symphony orchestra, which is the main orchestra of the Central Music |
| 0:26.2 | Academy here in Kiev, they decided to hold a concert for the first time since Russia's |
| 0:32.8 | invasion began. |
| 0:34.5 | That's reporter Sidderson Rogovan. |
| 0:39.5 | And the whole purpose of this concert was to show strength and to defiantly show Russia |
| 0:46.5 | that the people of Ukraine are courageous and willing to play their music out in the |
| 0:52.2 | open. |
| 0:53.2 | And they chose a very symbolic place to do that. |
| 0:56.9 | The concert was held in independent square. |
| 0:59.7 | Historically it's been the site of protests and revolution and on Wednesday it was the |
| 1:05.2 | site of this public act of unity and resistance against Russia. |
| 1:10.2 | Twenty musicians bundled up in thick coats and jackets playing under the open sky, despite |
| 1:15.9 | the constant threat of missiles or falling bombs. |
| 1:19.0 | There were roughly about 25 Ukrainians there and they were clapping after every composition |
| 1:25.9 | that they played. |
| 1:26.9 | Fortunately, it was extremely quiet during the performance. |
| 1:30.8 | We didn't hear any shells landing. |
| 1:33.3 | A few moments afterwards the air raid sirens went off and so people started to move away |
| 1:40.1 | from the square. |
| 1:49.5 | It's been almost three weeks since the start of the Russian assault on Ukraine. |
... |
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