Combat vet here, cold war, i know, i know, ancient history, only its not. The Russian Army is the direct lineal descendant of the Red Army. GEN Petraeus' article covers many of the failures, (which they had then too). I wanted to highlight some at the lower levels that also cause huge problems.
Primary groups are where the last 100 meters are lost or won. A grievious fault is having no professional NCO corps. This is exacerbated by a viciously intimidating environment for the lower ranks. It is rigidly enforced by a corrupt heirarchy, reminiscent of the Mafia. Lets pile on minimal & unrealistic training geared to impress the chain of command. On top of that a corrupt and spectacularly incompetent supply service. No beans, bullets or mail is a great de-motivator. Lets also couple that to known minorities problems in the ranks too.
The Ukrainian Army of 2022 is head and shoulders past that of 2014. Ukraine has blooded a whole generation of combat vets, by cycling the entire draft years through front line service in Donbass & Luhansk. This not only built combat skills, it's also fostered patriotism. A professional NCO corps has been formed & in use. Their special forces and irregular warfare skills are paying dividends.
The Russian Army has nothing to compare. They used militias and mercenaries for the most part in Donbass & Luhansk. Their elite units are 'contractors' mercenaries for all intents. Typical conscripts are cowed and basically cannon fodder. Watching video of (Chechen Warlord) Kudryov's/Kadryov's 'dragons' battalion, in prayers to kill Ukrainian infidels is really telling. Ukrainian units opposite them, are greasing their bullets... a throwback to another war. Rumor has it that sympathetic FSB personnel betrayed the Chechen assasins dispatched to kill Zelenskyy. More of these wooden-horse russians, may come out after. There was the slav brotherhood that Russia & Ukraine had destroying fascism. That's been thrown away and gets worse every hour.
That's not to say Russia still can't crush all in their path regardless of cost. These are the folks that brought you miles & miles of hub-to-hub artillery. There simply is no public opinion mechanism to stop it.
Russia is too big and too connected to us to be allowed to behave like a bully that is freed from all consequenses. Either our response to this war puts a stop to it or our world will collapse. The Ukrainian people are voting, in person & blood, for their warts-and-all stumbling democracy, over a dictatorship lead by a nuke-kook.
Did you miss the part where they want Alaska back now?
Combat vet here, cold war, i know, i know, ancient history, only its not. The Russian Army is the direct lineal descendant of the Red Army. GEN Petraeus' article covers many of the failures, (which they had then too). I wanted to highlight some at the lower levels that also cause huge problems.
Primary groups are where the last 100 meters are lost or won. A grievious fault is having no professional NCO corps. This is exacerbated by a viciously intimidating environment for the lower ranks. It is rigidly enforced by a corrupt heirarchy, reminiscent of the Mafia. Lets pile on minimal & unrealistic training geared to impress the chain of command. On top of that a corrupt and spectacularly incompetent supply service. No beans, bullets or mail is a great de-motivator. Lets also couple that to known minorities problems in the ranks too.
The Ukrainian Army of 2022 is head and shoulders past that of 2014. Ukraine has blooded a whole generation of combat vets, by cycling the entire draft years through front line service in Donbass & Luhansk. This not only built combat skills, it's also fostered patriotism. A professional NCO corps has been formed & in use. Their special forces and irregular warfare skills are paying dividends.
The Russian Army has nothing to compare. They used militias and mercenaries for the most part in Donbass & Luhansk. Their elite units are 'contractors' mercenaries for all intents. Typical conscripts are cowed and basically cannon fodder. Watching video of (Chechen Warlord) Kudryov's/Kadryov's 'dragons' battalion, in prayers to kill Ukrainian infidels is really telling. Ukrainian units opposite them, are greasing their bullets... a throwback to another war. Rumor has it that sympathetic FSB personnel betrayed the Chechen assasins dispatched to kill Zelenskyy. More of these wooden-horse russians, may come out after. There was the slav brotherhood that Russia & Ukraine had destroying fascism. That's been thrown away and gets worse every hour.
That's not to say Russia still can't crush all in their path regardless of cost. These are the folks that brought you miles & miles of hub-to-hub artillery. There simply is no public opinion mechanism to stop it.
Russia is too big and too connected to us to be allowed to behave like a bully that is freed from all consequenses. Either our response to this war puts a stop to it or our world will collapse. The Ukrainian people are voting, in person & blood, for their warts-and-all stumbling democracy, over a dictatorship lead by a nuke-kook.
Did you miss the part where they want Alaska back now?
just my 2¢
thanx for letting me express an opinion!
Food for thought-
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/03/the-money-question-how-long-can-russia-wage-war-against-ukraine/
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44879/ukraine-just-captured-part-of-one-of-russias-most-capable-electronic-warfare-systems
Hugely informative and as reassuring about Ukraine's power to overcome this attempt at its annihilation as can be expected.