The myth of invincible Russia or the second largest army in the world
Until 2022, many people in the world really believed that the Russian Federation’s army was powerful and invincible. This was facilitated by Russia’s certain success in Syria. Back then, Russian ground and air forces, with the support of Assad’s troops, were able to push back the Islamic State. But the forces were unequal. The armed units of the Islamic State were armed mostly with small arms, they had very few anti-tank weapons, no armored vehicles, no weapons and equipment factories of their own, logistical and logistical support was extremely scarce, there was no air defense system, no missile forces, and most importantly, no aviation. This is all understandable. And under such circumstances – complete air domination – Putin and Assad managed to regain control. And even then, not everywhere.
The conclusion is that the Russians were able to win because they fought an enemy that was significantly inferior in terms of military equipment, weapons, logistics, and support.
At the beginning of 2022, anti-government protests began in Kazakhstan, and the power of the local president was shaken. To help him, Putin sent rapid response troops – special forces and airborne troops. Civilians and unarmed people had no choice but to flee and stop the protests. But the whole world was shown footage of well-equipped Russian soldiers, who, like regional gendarmes, were holding the influence of dictator Putin everywhere.
This was the case until February 24, 2022…
A large-scale invasion of Ukraine
All Russian and Western political scientists and military experts confidently asserted that Putin would invade Ukraine within three days to three weeks. The Russians were overconfident in their invincibility. And Western analysts were guided by their intelligence about the extremely high level of infiltration of Russian agents of influence and Russian intelligence officers into the highest government positions in Ukraine. Plus, the covert support of Putin’s actions by certain Western political groups. This was the reality. Such were the forecasts and expectations.
But, as Napoleon said, any battle plan begins to change immediately after the first shot is fired.
From the first days of the offensive, the Russians met with extremely strong resistance. Both by the Ukrainian armed forces and the entire nation. The Ukrainian military crushed numerous columns of Russians. Civilian Ukrainians, hunters, football fans, factory workers, townspeople and villagers took up arms and shot the Russians in the forests.
Then Putin’s military leaders changed their tactics. They began to deploy troops in a frontal offensive. In some places, they were successful. But after a while, they lost the previously captured city of Kherson and the Kharkiv region.
The Ukrainian defense forces managed to sink the flagship of the Russian fleet, the cruiser Moskva. What a symbolic name and event. Don’t you think?
And then some. The Ukrainians destroyed 25 percent of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on their own. By doing so, they forced the Russians to relocate the rest of the fleet from the occupied Crimea to the Russian port of Novorossiysk.
Somehow, imperceptibly but definitely, everyone began to realize that the phrases “We will capture Kyiv in three days” and “We will capture Ukraine in three weeks” were false. It was a bluff.
Putin’s red lines
The Putin regime has long since learned that it must always maintain a poker face in any difficult situation. Pretend that everything is fine. Once he even allowed himself the expression “We haven’t started yet”. This is his way of saying that Russia still has military power, at a time when Russian losses in the war have exceeded 350,000 killed. But the Moscow propaganda machine is working. And with its lies, it tries to impress not only Russians but also Western observers.
As a way to demonstrate his strength and confidence, Putin is annexing four more regions of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in addition to Crimea. And he is amending the Constitution accordingly.
And this is despite the fact that out of the five regions of Ukraine listed, only one, Crimea, is under full Russian control. The other four – Donetsk region, Luhansk region, Kherson region and Zaporizhzhia region – are only partially captured by Russian troops. This is complete nonsense! To introduce new territories into your state at the level of the Constitution, over which you have no influence!
And we return to Putin’s so-called red lines.
According to military doctrine, Putin can use nuclear weapons in the event of an attack on Russian territory. And what we see. Russia calls five Ukrainian regions its own, and has introduced them into the Constitution. And the Ukrainian military strikes there and destroys the Russian military. And what? And nothing! Putin cannot do anything, so he continues to bluff.
Ukraine will launch military strikes on the territory of Russia. Indeed, on the territory of the state of Russia. Within the borders recognized by the world. Ukraine is destroying oil refineries and weapons depots in Russia. And what? Nothing! Putin cannot do anything, so he continues to bluff.
On August 6, 2024, Ukrainian armed forces invaded Russian territory in the Kursk region. The purpose of the invasion is to draw some Russians from the eastern flank and inflict reputational damage on Putin. The fighting has been going on in Russia for more than six months. And what? And nothing! Putin cannot do anything, so he continues to bluff.
The whole world can see that Russia is weaker than ever. Russia can be destroyed very easily. All that is needed is an appropriate political decision.
International circumstances
Ukrainian defenders continue to bravely defend their homeland. They are slowly retreating, but they are inflicting huge losses on the Russians. More than 850,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded. Ukraine has destroyed 370 Russian military aircraft, over 330 helicopters, over 10,000 tanks, over 20,000 armored infantry vehicles, and many other military vehicles.
And this cannot but be seen by world and regional players…
Seizing the moment, Erdogan decided to resolve the issue of Syria in his favor. With the support of Turkey, Syrian rebels overthrew the Assad regime in two weeks. Assad asked for help, but Putin could not help him. Russian troops are exhausted from their aggressive war in Ukraine – they can’t fight or influence anything else. Assad had to flee Syria quickly.
The Ukrainians have already shot so many Russians that Putin started asking Kim Jong-un for help. The North Korean dictator began to supply his troops to help his colleague. But not for free – Putin is giving Kim nuclear and missile technology.
North Korean soldier killed
Russia’s technical backlog
This Russian-Ukrainian war has demonstrated the depth of the Putin regime’s degradation. Previously, the Russians said that they had created their own Skolkovo in response to the American Silicon Valley. In reality, Putin’s officials stole many billions of rubles through corruption schemes. And when it comes to immediate scientific and technological solutions, the Russian military-industrial complex is incapable of anything.
Even Iran! Iran, which has been under sanctions for decades, has a lot to offer Russia… Pardon the expression, but Putin has to buy Iranian shahids made of shit and sticks. Because in his Skolkovo, officials can only steal money.
It is the same with North Korea. Being in global isolation, it supplies Russia with artillery shells, artillery systems and missiles.
The Russian military-industrial complex is only capable of repairing old Soviet tanks that have been standing in the open for half a century. And even then, new night vision devices and thermal imaging sights are supplied by China. By and large, it can be argued that it is only thanks to the help of Iran, North Korea, and China that Russia is still able to wage war – it simply does not have the forces to do so on its own.
Previously, the Russians conducted offensives with armored vehicles under the cover of tanks. At present, such assaults still take place. But there are fewer and fewer of them. Most attacks are carried out on foot. There are more cases when Russians are driving civilian cars to storm Ukrainian positions!
Another innovation in Russian troops was the introduction of horses and donkeys to deliver ammunition. All because of the lack of military transport.
Russia suffered the most losses in the previous year, 2024. Due to senseless meat assaults, 450 thousand Russians were killed and wounded. In terms of military achievements, only 17% of the Donetsk region was captured over the course of the year. Plus the loss of territory in the Kursk region.
Russia is weaker than ever. Ukrainians are also dying, but they are inflicting much greater losses on the Russians. Now more than ever, Ukraine needs international assistance. For Ukraine to survive and regain its territory.
We Europeans must be guided by both the concepts of justice and the desire to protect ourselves. We want everyone in our homes to be alive, healthy, and always comfortable. We can achieve this by providing maximum assistance to Ukraine. Political, economic and military assistance. For us Europeans, Ukraine’s victory will mean peace and stability in Europe.
