A Look At Ukraine's Military Forces

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Ukraine Defense Chief’s Report Paints Bleak Picture of Armed Forces -- RIA Novosti

KIEV, March 12 (RIA Novosti) – Ukraine’s acting defense minister described the combat readiness of the country’s armed forces as “unsatisfactory” in his report to the acting president, a source familiar with the report told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

Ukrainian media reported over the weekend that convoys of armored vehicles and military trucks had been seen in western Ukraine. The reports coincided with the deployment of troops without insignia, widely believed to be Russian military, in Ukraine’s majority ethnic Russian region of Crimea, which has announced its intention to secede from Ukraine and become part of Russia.

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A Look At Ukraine's Military Forces

Ukraine Forms National Guard to Boost Defenses -- RIA Novosti
Ukraine creates National Guard ahead of Crimea vote -- BBC
Ukraine creates a national guard to fend off Russia -- The Telegraph
Ukraine to Incorporate Ex-Protesters into New Military Force -- RIA Novosti
If judged by the numbers, Ukraine's military loses war with Russia -- CNN
Ukraine Starts Military Exercises as Russia Warns on East -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Ukraine military still a formidable force despite being dwarfed by neighbour -- The Guardian
Ukraine Finds Its Forces Are Ill Equipped to Take Crimea Back From Russia -- New York Times
Explainer: How Do Russia's And Ukraine's Armies Compare? -- Radio Free Europe
How strong is Ukraine's army? -- Deutsche Welle
Ukraine's Military Capabilities: Large Army, But Old Equipment -- IBTimes
Russia’s active military count is 845,000, Ukraine has just 130,000 -- FOX News/CNN

My Comment: My cousin's son finished his stint in the Ukraine Army two years ago. I asked him a few days ago if the Ukraine military was prepared to blunt any Russian attack .... his answer was telling .... he laughed for about 15 seconds. My other cousins live in Russia .... and when I asked two of their sons (one serving and the other one finished his service last year but can be called up) a few days ago on how prepared was the Russian military to go into eastern Ukraine .... their response was stoic silence. As the patriarch in the family .... this non-answer is telling to me on many levels .... the most important one is that my relatives who serve and/or are in the reserves of the Russian military are obviously being told that the situation is very serious .... to be prepared for anything .... and to keep their mouths shut.