Russia's Ukraine Actions Highlight Its Military Limits -- USA Today
WASHINGTON — Russia's successful annexation of Crimea and destabilizing efforts on Ukraine's eastern border suggest the country's military has made some improvements, but the operations haven't really tested Russia's armed forces because they face a weak foe close to home.
"You don't have to be good to win — just better than your foe," said James Howcroft, a retired Marine intelligence officer with experience in the region.
Russia's military declined sharply after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Starved for resources, it became an army of underpaid conscripts led by corrupt officers. Its conflicts with Georgia in 2008 and Chechnya, beginning in the 1990s, further highlighted a need for change.
"When I think of the Russian military, I think corrupt, conscripted and decrepit," said Loren Thompson, an analyst with the Lexington Institute, a think-tank.
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My Comment: I concur with this analysis .... and it gives support to my proposition that the Russian military is not in a position to launch a successful military campaign in eastern Ukraine. Resources and manpower are limited, and the commitment to stay as an occupying power over a long period has no support in the Russian population nor within the political establishment in Moscow. But if Ukraine does implode, even with these limitations the Russian military will still be able to consolidate key cities and regions .... albeit for a limited period of time.
1 comment:
Every army has a limitation
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