Has any so called superpower ever performed so embarrassingly bad in a modern conflict?
Even if Ukraine crumbled overnight and Kiev fell tomorrow, i still don't think it would undo the damage Russia has done to its own prestige. I'm still in shock at just how poorly all arms of the Russian military have performed. It was already pretty obvious, but all this war has done is really hammer home just how poor Russians planning, organisation, quality of leadership, and quality of its material is compared to NATO countries.
Its laughable how some have celebrated Russia recent gains, when miniscule settlements and villages have 'fallen'. Some are little more than hamlets with less than 10 homes and they are talked about by pro-Russian influencers as though it were great conquest!
There is going to be so much here for military planners and historians to pick over. The only reason Putin isn't seeing more serious unrest at home is because normal Russians fear what would happen if Putin was overthrown at this point in time. Once the war is over, expect a lot more resistance and dissatisfaction from the population.
We are talking about a superpower, invading a much smaller country right on its border. A real superpower would have wiped out Ukraine in 48 hours. Instead we witnessed probably the most badly planned and conducted invasion of all time.
I have friends in the Russian military who are currently serving. Some of the anecdotes they tell me are mind boggling. From a conversation last week one reported to me that:
- Morale is much better than it was, but Putin has lost some of their respect. Most of the military saw him before the war as a genius, and infallible. Some still cling to the idea that Putin was badly advised, but even this school of thought makes Putin look weak in their eyes
- Supply is much better than it was. But it shocked me to hear that three times last month they were told to go out and 'forage' if they wanted to eat!! He didn't seem to understand why this shocked me so much.
- They are pleased to be advancing again, but are worried about how slow and limited their gains have been.
- They have caught many Ukrainian prisoners, but very few have chosen to co-operate.
- They have deliberately sabotaged 2 of their vehicles rather than take them into their next assault as ordered, as they were so old outdated and unsafe they preferred to disable them than be forced to take them into battle.
- Rather than seeing riding in a APC as added protection, they actually prefer to travel by foot now as it feels safer due to the unbelievable loss of vehicles to drones etc.
- There is supposedly loads of sabotage attacks happening in Russia, with governmental buildings, refinery's, train tracks etc damaged or destroyed by sabateurs that isn't being reported. I was told about a town near a place called Yelebuga (??? no idea of correct spelling, the line wasnt great), that in the last few months has had 2 x governmental buildings firebombed, and a train station attacked (with guards shot dead and tracks damaged) that wasn't reported inside Russia let alone in Western media. I'm leaving some details out on the off chance he could be identified, but this Gentleman is very much pro-Putin, is a proud patriot and has no reason to lie.
Nothing shocks me anymore about this conflict. How on earth can Russia's image as a superpower be reconciled with =
- Losing almost all of their black sea fleet
- After 3 years, having not even taken a quarter of the country they have invaded
- A full blown mutiny on Russian soil almost making it to Moscow unopposed!
- The insane amount of losses in personal and equipment
- Using prisoners to bolster the number of troops on the front line!
- Wheeling out tanks that are 50 years old!!
- The ridiculous cope cages and modifications troops were desperately making to their armoured vehicles
I have a huge soft spot for Russia and always admired their military. I am still shocked by what i've seen. I don't think we will truly see the consequences for Russia until in many years to come. This war is making Vietnam look like a slick brilliantly conducted war in comparison!
Such a shame. For the loss of life, the loss of so many peoples homes, but also for exposing what a corrupt, badly ran, paper tiger that Russia has become. A beautiful country filled with some of the best people i have ever met are now reliant on China, North Korea and a nuclear arsenal to prevent them from folding.
There is so much corruption, and so much of their equipment and personnel are so poor, that i honestly believe that if the time ever came when Russia used its nuclear arsenal, at least some of their nukes would misfire or land on its own territory!
What a mess. And i honestly admire Gary and Blackjacks hundred of posts desperately trying to put a positive spin on the most incredible military misadventure since the 1930s and 1940s. I honestly think this war has doomed Russia for years to come, and we wont see the full ramifications of it for probably 20 years. It really sucks to see such great proud countries and peoples being led into the frying pan all because of one man :-(
announced the delivery of a sizeable new military aid package for Ukraine today. The contents of the package are as follows:
www.bundesregierung.de
has announced a new $1.5 Billion usd package for Ukraine that will focus on Ukraine's energy grid and humanitarian needs. It includes the following:
sending mentally ill, clinically diagnosed men to the front to feed their failing meat grinder of a war. In the last 6 months alone they've taken less than 1% of Ukraine, despite suffering more than 100,000 casualties, chewing through their armor and chewing through their combat capability far faster than they can replace it. 
