AN UPRISING IN KHERSON: “Putin’s theory of how Russia would pacify a conquered Ukraine appears to have been that Ukrainians would … just sort of pacify themselves. Russia can’t mount an effective long-term occupation of a country this large but it wouldn’t need to, provided that Ukrainians placidly accepted their fate and welcomed their integration into Russia. . . . That theory was tested today in the southern city of Kherson, the site of Russia’s most significant victory to date. The Russian military seized it days ago and moved in to occupy it. If Putin is right that Ukrainians will reconcile themselves to their fate once they fall under Russian control, the first evidence should emerge in Kherson. His theory looked shaky yesterday. Today it looks shakier. . . . How will Russia ever defeat these people? No one doubts that Putin is sadistic enough to kill every last resister in order to assert his dominance over Ukraine. A ceasefire agreement between the two sides to allow civilians to evacuate from besieged Mariupol has already fallen apart, in fact, with Ukraine accusing the Russian military of attacking residential areas. No matter how ruthless Putin is willing to be, though, many observers increasingly doubt whether he has the ability to impose his will on Ukrainians.”