Chaos in Russia is morale booster for Ukraine as it pushes on with early stages of counteroffensive

By SAMYA KULLAB
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The armed rebellion against the Russian military may have ended quickly, but the disarray within the enemy’s ranks was an unexpected gift and timely morale booster for Ukrainian troops. A video of a well-known Ukrainian drone commander watching the revolt while eating enormous amounts of popcorn went viral. A plethora of gleeful memes mocking Russian leader Vladimir Putin inundated social media, and statement after statement from Ukraine’s top brass described the turmoil as a sure sign of more instability to come. A Ukrainian soldier who watched as he recovered from a battlefield injury said, “Everyone is excited.”