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This is why Russia is doing poorly - they seem to have not taken care of the basics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dane_in_LA
More bling than substance.
Well, Russia's has always been a 3rd World economy, IF that. I've run into international travelers over there, who call it 4th World. So, even if they prioritized the military sector in their government funding, logically you wouldn't expect it to be competitive with the US or other major developed countries, would you? The best they'd be able to do is give it decent window-dressing and a strong PR department to intimidate its adversaries with.
Especially after the USSR crashed, leaving the country in economic ruin for over a decade. Probably some of you have read the reports coming out in the 90's and beyond, of officers bullying recruits, stealing their food rations, and perpetrating all kinds of abuses? That's the sign of a military sector in very deep trouble.
They have NCOs like we had during WWII when some conscripts were identified for leadership training. Not many of the long service professional NCOs who have real world experience to add to the military schooling system.
There being two basic ways to draft, take everybody for that short period to build a large reserve force. Or selectively draft with a longer service commitment and deal with the social disruptions of why my son and not the big shot's son.
If talking about Russia, as OP mentioned, women are exempt from military duties.
Well, Russia's has always been a 3rd World economy, IF that. I've run into international travelers over there, who call it 4th World. So, even if they prioritized the military sector in their government funding, logically you wouldn't expect it to be competitive with the US or other major developed countries, would you? The best they'd be able to do is give it decent window-dressing and a strong PR department to intimidate its adversaries with.
The thing is, though - I'd sort of expected the basics to be covered. You have to play to your strengths, right? I'd somehow imagined the Russian military to be sort of like an AK-47 - rough finish and not very sophisticated, but carefully designed with the local limitations in mind, it gets the job done. Tough and useful.
You don't need a refined economy to teach sound squad and platoon level tactics. If you can't stuff $10,000 worth of electronics into every missile seeker head, then build more, but cheaper. Organizing logistics along standardized containers and pallets require forethought and smart people and organization, but it's not actually that costly. Was it just too humiliating to take a hard look at the facts and say "This is where we have to focus"?
I mean despite having overwhelming numbers in both troops, tanks, equipment etc. Ukraine has been able to completely obliterate them and make their military look like a total joke in just about every encounter. Watching lots of videos and the Ukrainians have made Russians look like the most sadly pathetic, most incompetent military force on earth. I laughed so hard when I watched one where a Ukrainian farmer used his tractor to haul away one of their own tanks. The Russians equipment sucks, their tanks suck, whatever training they give them obviously really sucks, their aircraft sucks, their generals suck....Like seriously, it seems as if there isn't ANYTHING about the Russian armed forces that DOESN'T suck.
As large as a country they are how is it that EVERYTHING about their military can suck so horrifically bad? Did they put a toddler in charge of their military or something? LOL!
Hitler tested his war machines in Spain. The Ukrainians have duct taped explosives to off-the-shelf drones and destroyed T-34 battle tanks. The world is giving real world tests of arms and drawing conclusions. Russia appears to be fighting the last war.
There being two basic ways to draft, take everybody for that short period to build a large reserve force. Or selectively draft with a longer service commitment and deal with the social disruptions of why my son and not the big shot's son.
In Scandinavian countries, universal draft was considered a huge win for democracy. The idea that every citizen, no matter rank or riches, would be personally obligated to defend the country? Heady stuff, for its day.
Hitler tested his war machines in Spain. The Ukrainians have duct taped explosives to off-the-shelf drones and destroyed T-34 battle tanks. The world is giving real world tests of arms and drawing conclusions. Russia appears to be fighting the last war.
If they were in fact T-34s, they would be fighting a war that's a bit older than that...
the oligarchs stole more money than Putin gave them..money that should have been used for military training and equipment..naturally they lied and placed the blame on someone else or else they would have been 'disappeared' by Putin..
let's hope they don't have time or resources to up their strengths..
... Probably some of you have read the reports coming out in the 90's and beyond, of officers bullying recruits, stealing their food rations, and perpetrating all kinds of abuses? That's the sign of a military sector in very deep trouble.
It's called "dyedovschinna", or a hierarchical system where more senior conscripts haze the junior, beating them up, taking their rations, harrassing them in various ways. Older privates do it to younger. NCOs do it to the draftees. Officers to some extent do it to the enlisted. Senior officer to junior. Up and down the chain. That has been the case in the post-WW2 USSR, and was one reason why any reasonably intelligent person tried every possible means of avoiding the draft in Soviet times. I imagine that in post-Soviet times, it only got worse.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dane_in_LA
The thing is, though - I'd sort of expected the basics to be covered. You have to play to your strengths, right? I'd somehow imagined the Russian military to be sort of like an AK-47 - rough finish and not very sophisticated, but carefully designed with the local limitations in mind, it gets the job done. Tough and useful.
Covering even the basics presumes a viable and vital social-compact, of mutual deference, collective responsibility, faith in the structure and mores of society.
In America we may be cynical about government, and with good reason. But it's a matter of degree! Few of us have reason to suppose that once or twice a week, the local traffic-cops will randomly pull us over, demanding bribes. Flat-out demanding cash, as an informal toll to be allowed to pass. In a society where this is "normal", basic faith in the compact between Man and the State has collapsed. Cynicism is no longer a fringe indulgence, but a realistic and rational view. Now imagine serving in the military of a country like that... potentially giving your life for a country like that.
It's called "dyedovschinna", or a hierarchical system where more senior conscripts haze the junior, beating them up, taking their rations, harrassing them in various ways. Older privates do it to younger. NCOs do it to the draftees. Officers to some extent do it to the enlisted. Senior officer to junior. Up and down the chain. That has been the case in the post-WW2 USSR, and was one reason why any reasonably intelligent person tried every possible means of avoiding the draft in Soviet times. I imagine that in post-Soviet times, it only got worse.
Yes. A friend of mine in the 90's was desperate to keep her son out of the military service. She succeeded, by getting him enrolled in a university program. Apparently there was a deferment for higher education enrollees. But this is the first I've heard, that the abuses were common during the USSR, post-war. The article I'd read about it implied, that it was the result of the economic collapse after 1990.
Good post, overall. Thanks for posting.
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