@tindrummer That makes a difference in some cases on an individual battle to battle situation but strategically Russia promoting and installing officers for being yes men instead of competent commanders is probably the biggest issue strategically. Russian forces almost seem like they have been trying to lose for awhile now.
@MarmeeMarch Well the fact that NATO and the US are backing Ukraine and funding and arming them is no mystery since this is a proxy war. Ukraine has been a client state of the US since 2014. That is one of the parts we are supposed to dutifully forget or that experts on the region have been predicting a conflict since the Clinton administration if NATO expansion was pursued. And this was never about Putin. NATO expansion has been a red line since 1991, and with Yeltsin, the communists, and even the hero of many western liberals Navalny. Putin took the most insane and incompetent approach possible but ultimately fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian serves American interests. That is also why this is likely to be a meat grinding. Because the other inconvenient part is the longer this drags out the more it benefits western interests. For one it screws things up for China because the Chinese are dependant on Russia for their Airforce and armour and Ukraine for their blue water navy. Also the more battered Chinese allies are the better it works out for the new cold war with China. Meanwhile western defense contractors rake in the billions and the Ukrainian people will get grinding austerity when the bill comes due because the western weapons industry is not a charity.
Ultimately both Ukrainians and Russians are being killed in the name of the Great Game.
Ultimately the smart thing for Russia is to withdraw and declare victory at home. Putin like many right wing strong men, he put people in command who tells he what he wants to hear, and competence is largely irrelevant.
