I think it can safely be said they are not a modern professional military based on their performance in Ukraine. They're great at shelling and bombing civilians but fold when put up against a real fight.
They might be more effective if they could get more aircraft in the skies, but I'm beginning to think the Russian military don't have enough pilots who fall under the weight capacity of their Mig jets.
How did they do so well in world war 2? Was it a case of the Germans just biting off more than they could chew and caught with stretched supply thousands of miles from Germany. The Russians drove the Germans from Stalingrad to Berlin in 2.5 years on the biggest front ever seen in warfare.
Thing is both Germany (well Western Germany anyway) and Japan were occupied by Western Allies and totally new political infrastructure was put in place. Some of the old systems were left, but industries were still owned by the former owners albeit with some reparations demanded and some massive conglomerates who very much aided the war effort being broken up (e.g Mitsubishi being one of the most famous ones).
The Allies ditched the Morgenthau plan and the idea of forcing Germany to give up it's heavy industry.
The Allies had one eye on the growing threat of Soviet Union so needed resurgent West Germany and Japan as bullwark against the expansion of communism.
By 1950s West Germany were in the European Coal and Steel Community and remaining restricting were removed.
The Allies did grab a lot of patents, research material, ip rights.
Russia in 90s was bit of a free for all where connected ones were grabbing state assets left right and centre.
It was the beginning of oligarchs and corruption was widespread.
Just remember Russians were still in charge, there was no occupation, no direct rule by outsiders.
If you gave massive Marshall type aid it would have still ended up at the Monaco yacht show and in Chelsea.
It is getting very Third Reich or even Stalinist.
You have a fair idea the little fellow in his bunker in Moscow is calling some of the shots, berating generals for not achieving his objectives and most of them are afraid to tell him what is really happening.
Meanwhile different arms of the military are being led by people competing for his approval.
That's pretty much what I said.
Looks like the Ukrainian estimates of Russian casualties were correct then and the US ones too low and conservative.
And today's "Awesome Name" award goes to ....
Fully aware of all these things.
But - even in the midst of war, we need to plan for peace. I don't yet see the 'what next?' plan for Russia once the shooting\bombing stops. It doesn't have to be the Marshall Plan redux but it does need to be something that nudges them towards the right path.
Take it as a compliment so. 🦧
Despite the temptation to take revenge, bringing your self to the same level as the Russians , it should never happen. because then you are no better.
Or where in " the field " the bird o' donnell has ,on the bulls instructions, put a bid on the field and is left dangling thinking the bid might be accepted!
Takes balls to do that...
They can be added to the list....
Yes by taking out the launcher or aircraft that carries it
The last journalists to leave Mariupol fled on March 16. They were the ones that showed the bombing of the maternity hospital and then when the Russians called it fake news risked their lives again to find the pregnant patients for follow up stories of the same women and their fate.
Very very brave the pair of them. Having been metres from shelling on a few occasions they still ventured out to try and get a signal to upload their photos and videos.
What's also depressing in the account is that when the only radio they could eventually pick up was broadcasting Russian propaganda some of the locals were starting to believe that Ukrainians were shelling their own buildings and holding people hostage. Utterly depressing but it shows how vulnerable people's minds are especially when under such immense stress.
I haven't wished for something as much in so long as for the siege to be broken. I know it's mostly levelled now but just for the spirit of those that have endured up to now and hope in vain for rescue.
Not necessarily more expensive. Eg using small examples to get point across if we now buy two pairs shoes per year instead of four pairs - got fed up with colour , design, to keep up with the Jönes. Same with b
clothes. Holiday in ireland . Do more walking to keep healthier therefor less medical bills. #
This is the US sprint missile from the 70s anti ballistic missile doing mach 10
I have my doubts about russian claims about mach 10 or even 5.
The russian patent i have seen the scramjet have to shut off before the terminal stage to slow down the missile or else the seeker wont work because of the extreme heat created by the aerodynamic friction in lower atmosphere.
Kinszhal is just an Upgraded Iskander missile being air launched
They sacrificed millions of their people that's how. They were also fighting for their country not invading another.
The problem is tactics have moved on since WW2 but it appears the Russian military haven't, plus they can't perform basic maintenance on their equipment and their troops and officers appear unfit to be in a professional military organisation.
That would be either the MiG-31K, of which there are about 20 in the entire RuAF inventory at best, or the Tupolev Tu-22M3M, a specially modified version of the Tu-22 bomber, NATO Designation "Backfire", of which the second aircraft was delivered in 2020. Given the rate at which these aircraft are being modernised, I'd be surprised if there were more than 5-6 of the modernised Backfires were available. Granted, each Tu-22 can launch up to 4 Kinzhal missiles, whilst the MiG-31K can only launch 1, but that still isn't a massive number of launching platforms, especially when you consider that aircraft will be down for maintenance, some will need to be held in reserve and so on.
Interesting Russian Oligarch asset tracker launched by the OCCRP:-
Fyi
Edit:
There was lots of reasons for the German attack faltering, just to summarise the main points
As you say overstretched supply lines, especially at Stalingrad.
Failure to comprehend the brutal winter temperature led to the German army freezing solid at Moscow.
The Soviet scorched earth policy as they retreated and their moving of their vital industries to the east of the Urals...an astounding feat!
Also there was the vast amounts of military hardware supplied to them by the western allies...Hans Rudel in his book Stuka Pilot said he sometimes thought he was fighting on the western front such was the amount of American trucks, Tanks and aircraft he was shooting up on the eastern front.
Then there was Germany's last hope of turning the war the battle of Kursk, but the Soviets got every detail of the German plan from the British who had broken the enigma code, what likely would have been a German breakthrough turned into a Soviet trap for them.
As a result of the defeat at Kursk they lost access to their oil supplies, from then on they were on a defensive retreat all the way back to Berlin.
Also should be mentioned is the tough ruthlessness of the Soviet commanders and soldiers who cared nothing about their casualties only about achieving objectives regardless
They didn't do that well at all. They were utterly routed at first and the Germans were within sight of Moscow, where Comrade Stalin had his special train ticking over to get him to the East. What changed? The weather didn't help of course. The Soviets had overwhelming numbers and crazy bravery on top. Their military kit for the most part was inferior but they could field way more of it and it was more easily repairable(much of the German stuff was overly complex). They were fighting for their homeland(sound familiar...).
But most of all Germany was fighting on many fronts. When the US came into the war with her incredible manufacturing capacity(which they sold out from their people to the Chinese to make a few billionaries richer) it was game over. They could supply the Russians with armaments and of all things food. They were running very low on that. Germany was getting hammered by Allied bombing at home too and were running out of fuel.
But even so, even with Germany fighting on three fronts against the Allies, bombed into dust at home, facing overwhelming numbers on all sides, logistical breakdowns, Hitler interfering with his general's plans and everything else, it still took the Soviets two and half years to beat them back to Berlin.
Looks like Belarus wants to get involved in invading Ukraine but is apparently getting stalled
Tabloid hastily retracts these obviously "incorrect" figures in 5.. 4.. 3..
Serious question.
Does anyone round here know of anybody whose been in contact with someone in Russia in recent recent times? A friend of mine has been in contact with her Russian mother and this lady firmly believes in what putin is doing. Her daughter has outlined what's happening but she flatly refuses to believe it or else simply doesn't give af**k.
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