This is Ian Welsh’s “impressive” Russian military at work.

The VDV – Russia’s airborne forces – spearheaded the invasion. In December, specialist units of the VDV had wargamed out their role in the repression of Ukrainian civil society alongside the 9th Directorate of the Fifth Service of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).9 The VDV assault units received the plan three days before the invasion and started excitedly talking in anticipation of their daring operation. VDV commanders started discussing their primary objective at Hostomel in clear. When they landed, therefore, they were met with Ukrainian artillery and a coordinated counterattack, quickly being driven from the airport. Meanwhile, to the north, Ukrainian units fought a delaying action with considerable success. The Russian motor rifle and Rosgvardia troops had received their orders less than 24 hours before the invasion. As a consequence, they did not fight a methodical campaign of breakthrough and exploitation by successive echelons as their doctrine dictated, nor were they supported by sufficient artillery as is considered essential. Instead, they were pushed forwards along two main resupply routes (MSRs) towards distant objectives without reconnaissance or screening to their flanks.10 The Rosgvardia, intended to provide rear-area security,11 sometimes ended up advancing ahead of combat units.12 The speed of some armoured units allowed them to drive into Kyiv’s suburbs only 48 hours into the war, but, as they were miles ahead of the main body of Russian ground forces, all this achieved was their isolation and destruction.13 With little opportunity to prepare, psychologically or practically, many Russian units broke when they met serious resistance.

That is almost comically terrible. Not quite comically because it meant a lot of people dying. But still…that is amateur-level shit.