| Russia on 11:32 - Jan 13 with 764 views | MVBlue |
They retain a defensive army but simply send poorly trained soldiers in a continuous churn to Ukraine. When this thing is settled surely there will be a backlash from the million injured andkilled Russian families. |  |
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| Russia on 12:37 - Jan 13 with 552 views | ghostofescobar |
| Russia on 11:32 - Jan 13 by MVBlue |
They retain a defensive army but simply send poorly trained soldiers in a continuous churn to Ukraine. When this thing is settled surely there will be a backlash from the million injured andkilled Russian families. |
Same "strategy" as WW2 - Russian military deaths in that war were somewhere between 8.5mill and 11mill. To put that into context, the UK lost 380,000 military personnel. Young men is an almost inexhaustible supply for Russia. |  |
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| Russia on 13:54 - Jan 13 with 395 views | Guthrum |
| Russia on 12:37 - Jan 13 by ghostofescobar |
Same "strategy" as WW2 - Russian military deaths in that war were somewhere between 8.5mill and 11mill. To put that into context, the UK lost 380,000 military personnel. Young men is an almost inexhaustible supply for Russia. |
Except it's not quite - hence emptying prisons, recruiting foreigners and so on.
Putin cannot afford to call up too many young men from the big cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg, as mass casualties there might lead to political discontent. So they've been relying on rural and remote regions, plus ethnic minority groups. Of which they are fast running out.
It's not just the dead, but maybe three or four times that many wounded on top, around half of them serious*. Then there will have been tens, if not hundreds, of thousands more fed through the meat-grinder as reinforcements, replacements and troop rotation. All of them mentally affected by what they've been through, even if not physically. There has already been considerable trouble in some areas with people protesting the slaughter and disablement of their young men.
* Based upon figures from other, similar wars, such as WWI. |  |
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| Russia on 14:07 - Jan 13 with 330 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Russia on 13:54 - Jan 13 by Guthrum |
Except it's not quite - hence emptying prisons, recruiting foreigners and so on.
Putin cannot afford to call up too many young men from the big cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg, as mass casualties there might lead to political discontent. So they've been relying on rural and remote regions, plus ethnic minority groups. Of which they are fast running out.
It's not just the dead, but maybe three or four times that many wounded on top, around half of them serious*. Then there will have been tens, if not hundreds, of thousands more fed through the meat-grinder as reinforcements, replacements and troop rotation. All of them mentally affected by what they've been through, even if not physically. There has already been considerable trouble in some areas with people protesting the slaughter and disablement of their young men.
* Based upon figures from other, similar wars, such as WWI. |
I wonder whether there are a lot of dead whose families think they are still fighting too. Surely there comes a point at which the human cost leads to a backlash. |  |
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| Russia on 15:40 - Jan 13 with 186 views | Churchman |
| Russia on 14:07 - Jan 13 by Nthsuffolkblue |
I wonder whether there are a lot of dead whose families think they are still fighting too. Surely there comes a point at which the human cost leads to a backlash. |
I very much doubt you’ll get much of a backlash in Russia. Uncle Vlad doesn’t allow that sort of thing any more than he allows debate, questioning or all of the things we take for granted.
https://www.statista.com/stati
The Russian military is huge. It has its gaps but the reality of any comparison with NATO is meaningless now America is off the table. The remains of NATO are fractured, under resourced, short on political will, long on sharp suits and designer glasses.
With an army of 1.3m aiming to be increased to 1.5m plus 2m in reserve, losses have, can and will be made up. The human cost? To made old Putin it’s zero because he’s not interested. Doesn’t care. His ambitions of a new Russian empire and his sphere of influence can only be achieved through conquest and that’s what he will try and do. With the US on the sidelines or even supporting, it’s do-able now.
The question is timing from what I can see. Tactically the method of WW2 mass attack is over. It doesn’t work. But there are other methods. They are short equipment wise, qualitatively, too. But they are learning and but again I don’t see how his wartime economy can be sustained without conquest.
Putin has the political will and the means to achieve its aims. Do the other countries in Europe see a threat or have their heads in the sand hoping it’ll go away? Some do like those on the border. Others don’t. It ranges from complete disinterest in the Iberian peninsular to fear in Poland, Finland etc. That is a weakness in itself.
The U.K.? I see denial and hoping it’ll go away. Russia will need breathing space after finishing its Ukrainian meal. Three or four years maybe less. We might increase defence spending a little but the reality is talk, promises, those famed reviews, the post war dividend. This government, like the last, are not interested any more than they were when those poor people were poisoned in Salisbury.
The warming thought that Russia isn’t as strong as made out is comforting for some. Great. The trouble is Putin’s actions, aims and obvious ambitions tell a different story to me.
Just a view.
Edit: further evidence this government is not the least bit interested in defence or the infrastructure required to support it. Or when it comes to it, the economy. It has other priorities. I know the tories didn’t want to know, but this is now.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/art [Post edited 13 Jan 16:59]
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