Monarque@wolfballs.com 3 years ago
I believe there are even people in Western media suggesting that there will be major issues because the major turnover of conscripts is in late April.
But that did not make sense to me.
Putin is supposed to be an evil, callous dictator... Why would he have troubles forcibly extending their contracts as long as necessary if needed..?
Moreover, it seems odd to me that their system doesn't already have half-a-dozen contingencies set up to deal with such a scenario. You can call the Russians inept and unprepared as much as you want, but accusing them of this strikes me as absurd -- it's too basic.
iamtanmay@wolfballs.com 3 years ago
The conscript problem is in every country. If you remember, US had HUGE draft dodging. Who wants to die in a shithole ? Russian army has enough 'professionals', 2:1 ratio to involuntary volunteers.
But, Russia faces a threat much bigger than them. Not EU. Not US. The fucking Chinese.
Even now, majority of their army is on their ginormous border east, hoping their commie 'friends' don't decide they need some 'lebensraum'. Hence the need to force vodka loving братs to go 'camping'.
Poor bastards. Videos of them getting shredded with RPGs.... horrific.
Monarque@wolfballs.com 3 years ago
They are actually outnumbered on the battlefield and doing a good job in terms of fully occupying Mariupol and wrecking te Ukrainian military and territorial defense forces, which number something like 600,000.
It is actually not true that Russia is losing, IMO. Urban warfare is just slow.
iamtanmay@wolfballs.com 3 years ago
Russia was never going to lose in the short term, without a miracle. 600,000 UA infantry do not have the tanks, air cover, artillery, supply of Russians. Russia brought a 2.5:1 advantage if Pentagon told the truth. Textbook says 3:1 is needed, which they may have locally in the East.
Long term its impossible to occupy without local support, as happened in Afghanistan, Warsaw pact. Since East UA has big Russian support, they would be able to assimilate.
Russian defeat seemed likely earlier when they were attacking Kiev. That would have been a poison pill, since West UA hates them and they would have to commit most of their force to be successful in taking and keeping it.
Their retreat from Kiev may mean they are satisfied with the gains in the East.