Imagine if the Russians pulled off the airborne assault of the Antonov Airport? They almost had it. So at that moment in time, it appeared like the government in Kyiv was going to fall apart and the Russians were going to conquer the country.
So literally, it was the "Wild West" at the time.
Instead the Russians botched the Day One attack. And the Ukrainians were able to counterattack the Russians in Kyiv.