War against Ukraine has left Russia isolated and struggling — with more tumult ahead
MOSCOW — It's been 10 months since Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was deploying tens of thousands of Russian troops on a mission to "denazify" and "demilitarize" Ukraine – its smaller independent neighbor and former satellite of both the Russian and Soviet empires.
At the time, Putin insisted his forces were embarking on a "special military operation" — a term suggesting a limited campaign that would be over in a matter of weeks.
The reality has been far different.
The invasion has grown into the biggest land war in Europe since World War II, forcing millions of Ukrainians from their homes, decimating the Ukrainian economy and killing thousands of civilians.
Yet the war has also fundamentally upended Russian life — rupturing a post-Soviet period in which the country pursued, if not always democratic reforms, then at least financial integration and dialogue with the West.
As the war grinds on into 2023, here are key trends
