The war in Ukraine has not gone as planned for Russia’s military forces. If a country is being invaded, many citizens would flee or hide, and understandably so. However, the Ukrainian people are not going down without a fight, or what seems to be not going down at all. Ukrainian forces claim that 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed due to the invasion.

According to NPR, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby states, “there’s heavy fighting continuing in many parts of the country but no real major Russian advances.” Considering the military power of both countries, wiping out Ukraine swiftly was the expectation.. Ukraine has roughly 196,000 active members in their military, compared to a whopping 900,000 active members for Russia. 

Vladimir Putin was aware of the military he was up against, but not the morale of the citizens of Ukraine. Though the number of trained soldiers in Ukraine is outnumbered, tens of thousands of citizens are learning how to combat and defend their country. Ukraine has been able to hold their own, and more resources are on their way. The question is, who will that aid come from?

Ukraine is not a part of NATO, therefore countries that are in NATO do not have to declare war on Russia. However, many countries have provided supplies for Ukraine such as the United States, France, United Kingdom, Germany, and more. With enough firepower and aid from allied nations, Ukraine may fight long enough for Russia to give up on the invasion.