The West must take Moscow’s threats seriously without becoming paralyzed by fear

Four weeks of war, four weeks of death, escape and destruction. Russian aggression against Ukraine is causing nothing but needless suffering. The Kremlin has failed in its strategy of conquest, across the board. The invading troops have not yet achieved any of their goals.

They have not encircled the capital Kyiv, cut off Ukrainian defenders in the east of the country, or taken control of the airspace. Not even the encircled and bombed out port city of Mariupol has been taken. Russia’s army can terrorize civilians, but it cannot subdue its military opponent. This is the provisional, horrible balance sheet of the Ukraine war.

The failures of the Russian military are no cause for relief, however. The regime in Moscow cannot admit the setbacks without being shaken to its core. And so the invading army is trying to make up for its inability with increasing brutality. It attacks hospitals, sets apartment blocks on fire, and apparently uses outlawed weapons such as cluster munitions and phosphorus bombs.