University of Missouri professor: Ukrainian forces defeated Russia in battle over Kyiv

Ukrainian forces defeated Russia in Kyiv, a significant feat, said University of Missouri associate professor Stephen Quackenbush.

Quackenbush is director of the Defense and Strategic Studies Program in MU's Truman School of Government and Public Affairs.

Some of his previous research has centered on the importance for invading armies to capture a country's capital.

"They lost the battle for Kyiv, frankly," Quackenbush said of Russia. "They may come back."

Russia didn't withdraw from Kyiv to be nice, he said. It was defeated.

"We know that Russia lost the battle for Kyiv, and that's significant," Quackenbush said.

Kyiv seems to no longer be an interest of Russia, said Irynka Hromotska, MU photojournalism graduate student from Ukraine.

"Their Plan A of taking Kyiv in three days failed," Hromotska said. "Now they don't mention at all about how they're going to take Kyiv."

Ukrainian students at MU celebrated the sinking of the Russian Black Sea flagship Moskva, but Quackenbush said its significance is mostly symbolic and adds to Russian missteps.

"I think it's significant symbolically," Quackenbush said.

It's humiliating for Russia and boosts Ukrainian morale, he said.

The ship won't be replaced because Turkey won't allow a Russian military ship through its waters, he said.

Vlad Sazhen, an MU exchange student from Ukraine, was happy about the news of the sinking of the Russian ship. It's the same ship that threatened Snake Island, prompting a response that included an expletive.

Sazhen on Thursday wore his T-shirt about the encounter, reading "Russian warship, go F*** yourself."

Sazhen is working with MU to allow him to remain here and to bring his girlfriend, Alina, to MU to study and help her leave Ukraine. She informed him on Thursday of her good score on an English language test that will document her language ability if she comes to MU, he said.

That was his best news of the week, he said.

The International Student Emergency Fund is trying to raise money to allow both of them to attend MU.

"Basically it all comes down to the fact that we need funding to get Alina here," Sazhen wrote in a text message. "There is a considerable amount of money to be raised, but some individuals and organizations have already made some contributions and we are considerably thankful for it."

A fundraiser for Ukraine organized by MU nursing student Tori Copto raised $600 for medical supplies for Ukraine from events on Speakers Circle on Friday and Monday.

Although news of the sinking was not yet available when she was interviewed on Thursday, Hromotska also commented about reports of it being damaged.

"That's great news obviously," Hromotska said.

The Russian military outnumbers Ukraine's military, but Russia's military has performed poorly and Ukraine's military has performed well, Quackenbush said.

Russia has announced a new commander of operations, but now Russia is focusing its attention on the Donbas region in southeastern Ukraine.

"Now they've put all the effort on the southern operations," Quackenbush said.

There's continued fighting in Mariupol, he said.

"Mariupol continues to rage," Quackenbush said. "How much longer the Ukrainian defenders can hold out will be of key importance."

Sazhen has a friend in Mariupol who he heard from this week, he said.

All the patients in the hospital where his friend worked have been evacuated, Sazhen said.

His friend is now on the outskirts of town, which is an area controlled by Russia.

"I'm worried for my friend," Sazhen said. "I don't want him to suffer."

Russian military forces are gathered on the eastern border of Ukraine, but Quackenbush said those are battle-damaged and weary forces that don't appear ready for an offensive.

"I think right now they want to capture all of Luhansk and Donetsk and maintain their hold on Mariupol," Quackenbush said.

There may be combat between Kharkiv and Kherson, he said.

"I'm very concerned about Kharkiv," Sazhen said of his hometown. His grandmother has remained in Kharkiv while his parents and sister are in Poltava.

The students said they're pleased President Joe Biden this week called Russian actions in Ukraine a genocide.

"We are very grateful it's been called what it is," Hromotska said. "Essentially calling it anything else is diminishing what Ukrainians are going through."

"It sends a good signal to the world," Sazhen said.

Another good signal is the eagerness of Finland to join NATO, he said.

People in Ukraine are worried about May 9, the anniversary of the Soviet victory over Germany in World War II, Hromotska said.

Russia may be planning something, she said.

Quackenbush said he doesn't necessarily anticipate anything for the anniversary.

"Without a significant change, without a coup against Putin, this war is going to continue for a number of months," Quackenbush said.

Roger McKinney is the education reporter for the Tribune. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Russia focusing attention on Donbas now, MU professor said