Colin Gray has written prolifically and thoughtfully about airpower. Here’s a short lesson plan written for those who need to tune up their “elevator speech.”
President Putin made three foundational assumptions in launching his war against Ukraine that should have been correct but were not. First, Putin assumed the invasion of Ukraine would be a quick and easy fight. Second, he assumed the world would denounce the invasion but tacitly allow it. Third, Putin assumed the war would deter NATO expansion.