Russian Forces: Beyond TikTok Stereotypes
A discussion with Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Tom Simoens from the Royal Military Academy in Brussels about the underestimation of Russian Armed Forces.
Check out his article: www.thedefencehorizon.org/pos...
Follow Dr. Simoeons here: / tomsimoens137
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#underestimated #russianarmedforces #russia
Check out his article: www.thedefencehorizon.org/post/combined-arms-warfare-as-the-key-to-success-on-the-contemporary-battlefield Follow Dr. Simoeons here: twitter.com/TomSimoens137
No, it's not about propaganda. Many Russians quiet well understand what they are fighting for
🙃🙃🙂🙂
Dima Rusanov, Why did Russia break the promises made in the Budapest memorandum and "have " to invade Ukraine? What Danger was Russia in from Ukraine? And don't say shelling in Donbas. That was "because " of the invasion and only happened "after " Russia invaded. What right did Russia have to Ukrainian lands? I would love to hear your take on it. I am very knowledgeable about the last 1000 years of both russian and Ukrainian history. Why is Russia in Ukraine?
@@VajrahahaShunyata It's pretty obvious i guess Russia was given promises that NATO would not expand eastwards. Russia was opposing this since 1991. Because our western partners don't get it Russia said 2008 - Georgia and Ukraine - this is a red line for us. That was said pretty damn clear. That's it For deeper insight into history of Russia and Ukraine one need to read History of the Russian State of Boris Akunin, all the Kotkins's and Snyders's are not good en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Akunin
Examine this line, "The poor performance of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine shows once again that high-intensity land operations are incredibly complex undertakings" How is he measuring the Russian performance? It seems to me that Russia's performance has been quite good and is reflected in the current situation. 1.Early on, The Russians were NOT specifically trying to take territory when they reached out with small units to Kiev, Kharkov, and Kherson as a show of force in hopes that Kiev might reconsider war and negotiate. When that effort only worked in Kherson, the units that were sent to Kiev and Kharkov fell back on plan B which was to effect a pinning operation to hold the Ukrainian units in their areas in place so that they would not be diverted to assist the fighting in the Lugansk region. Anyone who claims that these forces were sent to actually take the cities of Kiev and Kharkov is a liar, a fool, or else not well studied in military tactics. The TOTAL force that Russia entered Ukraine with was just under 200,000 of which only about 80,000 were boots on the ground. Even if ALL of those forces were combined for an assault on just one of the cities such an assault would have failed. 2. The Russians were sent in with the explicit instructions to minimize civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure which is why they DID NOT attack dual use infrastructure such as transportation and the energy grid. The results of #'s 1 & 2 was that Russia suffered its highest casualties during this period. 3.The primary attacks along the defense lines that NATO had created for Ukraine over an eight year period was left primarily to the Donbas militias, the Chechens, the Wagner Group, and for a brief time, the Syrian volunteer unit. These were fully supported by Russia primarily through artillery, missiles, drones, and some aviation support. 4. In regards to aviation support, mostly that consisted of stand-off attacks because the Russian air force is risk averse so to avoid the excellent air defense system that Ukraine had inherited from Russia, it did not unnecessarily directly challenge that system with pilots and aircraft - yet, by their own means, they simultaneously successfully worked to deprive Ukraine's air force of the ability to use that very same air space and, in so doing, basically achieved tactical air control early on. As of this time, Russia now has FULL tactical control over all of Ukraine and air supremacy in certain areas. You can readily discern which areas are areas of Russian air supremacy because these are the areas where the Russians are primarily using dumb bombs and glide bombs. 5. Once the Russians realized that Kiev was NOT going to negotiate because the US would not allow it to do so - which happened in the first week of April of 2022 - and that NATO was going to continuously rebuild and resupply Ukraine's military - a realization that happened by late May, Russia had to literally rethink and replan its method of operations. Though this process began as the contract troops began to leave the front and the Chechens left for R&R, they weren't fully developed until the end of November 2022, and, as yet have not been fully implemented. 6. Still, the Russian goal was never intended to take territory but to neutralize the Ukrainian military. Just look at Russian losses now, after one year (based upon figures supplied by Mossad in January, 2023) - we can reasonably estimate that Russian dead and wounded number not more than 120,000, total. Ukraine, by contrast, perhaps 200,000 dead alone. MIA, presumed dead, another 50,000 (Colonel Douglas Macgregor). Wounded, perhaps another 200,000. Taken prisoner, deserted, and else, perhaps (my estimate) 20,000. Russia can take out Ukraine's infrastructure at any time. Russia is using between 20,000 to 80,000 heavy artillery shells each day (depending on need), by contrast. Russia has an almost eleven to one artillery advantage. Ukraine is now in a position of having to used forced conscription and this conscription is imposed upon children, old men, and even the handicapped. How many tanks (MBT's) does Ukraine possess? 200 - 300, perhaps less. Russia has almost 2,000. Ukraine's GTA system is almost ineffective and we do know they will no longer have any GTA missile defense at all after May. So, to sum up, it seems to me that the fact that the Russians understood fairly early that artillery and drones would rule in this conflict and so they quickly adapted to this warfare is a sign of effective performance but your "EXPERT" disagrees. The fact that Russia has NOT been focused on taking territory but on destroying the Ukrainian military as demonstrated by the loss rates each side has suffered would seem to be a measurement of performance, but your "EXPERT" disagrees. I think he is so deeply steeped in the type of warfare that NATO conducts on weak countries or those that lack any real capability of self defense is the means by which he measures military performance indicators - which by any reasonable logic is NEVER going to provide any truly valid assessment.
‘Russia is never as strong as we fear, or as weak as we hope’ My favorite take.
thats basically the quote in the beginning except changed 2 words
@@tpeterson9140 Yea, just a version that I like.
@@tpeterson9140 who "we" hoped? NATO puppets?
Underestimating and ridiculing an enemy is the 1st step to defeat.
This is an aspect we see a lot if the conflict is presented as a conflict between two ideologies or systems of value. The information war in that case is as much about making sure the public supports one's own side and sees the cause as politically credible. There are many motives like these influencing the public debate. That being said, people must believe the fight to be worth fighting if it is to go anywhere.
@@herptek "between two ideologies or systems of value" - which isn't the case right now, as Russia, Ukraine, EU and USA all are the neo-liberal capitalist oligarchy masquerading as democracy. Ukarine is just more into nazi collaborators glorification, but who am I to judge someone's gender in our modern times
@@user-tc9sk4ei9y Communists and Soviet sympathizers are effeminate or outright gay, but I guess my russophobia is too racist for common tastes so I should not condemn out loud the vile, unnatural things Russian "men" do to each other during their conscript time.
@@herptek Yes, that what Goebbels said also. The 11 principles of Nazi propaganda created by Goebbels: 1.- Principle of simplification and of the single enemy. To adopt a single idea, a single Symbol; to individualize the adversary in a single enemy. 2.- Principle of the contagion method. To gather diverse adversaries in a single category or individual; The adversaries must be constituted in an individualized sum. 3.- Principle of transposition. To load on the adversary the own mistakes or defects, answering the attack with the attack. "If you cannot deny the bad news, invent other news to distract them. 4.- Principle of exaggeration and disfigurement. Turn any anecdote, no matter how small, into a serious threat. 5.- Principle of vulgarization. "All propaganda must be popular, adapting its level to the least intelligent of the individuals to whom it is addressed. The larger the mass to be convinced, the smaller the mental effort to be made. The receptive capacity of the masses is limited and their comprehension is scarce; besides, they have great facility to forget". Principle of orchestration. "Propaganda should be limited to a small number of ideas and repeat them tirelessly, presented again and again from different perspectives but always converging on the same concept. Without fissures or doubts." This is also the origin of the famous phrase: "If a lie is repeated often enough, it ends up becoming the truth". Principle of renewal. It is necessary to constantly issue new information and arguments at such a pace that when the adversary responds, the public is already interested in something else. The adversary's answers must never be able to counteract the increasing level of accusations. 8.- Principle of verisimilitude. Build arguments from different sources, through the so-called trial balloons or fragmentary information. 9.- Principle of silencing. To silence on the issues on which there are no arguments and to conceal the news that favor the adversary, also by counterprogramming with the help of related media. 10.- Principle of transfusion. As a general rule, propaganda always operates on the basis of a pre-existing substratum, be it a national mythology or a complex of traditional hatreds and prejudices; the aim is to disseminate arguments that can take root in primitive attitudes. 11. Principle of unanimity. To convince many people that they think "like everyone else", creating the impression of unanimity.
@@user-tc9sk4ei9yyou realize there are more ideological classifications than capitalist/communist 😂
It is interesting how people seem to assume that morale is a uniform quality that is evenly distributed throughout an army. For example, the popular memory of South Vietnam's Army (ARVN) is that it had very low morale, especially in the final Communist offensive in 1975. While this is true on average, there were notable exceptions. The 18th Division held out at Xuan Loc against a vastly superior force for over ten days, and there were units in the Mekong Delta whose veterans never forgave General Minh (the last South Vietnamese President) for surrendering, since they wanted to fight on even after the fall of Saigon. If this is true for an army in a hopeless situation like ARVN in April of 1975, it is doubtless true of the Russian Army today.
Thanks for using South Vietnam as an example! People don't know that the ARVN was severely low on ammunition, supplies, spare parts, ammunition - all men were rationed down to 20 bullets and 2 grenades/week and many had not eaten meat for months. There was the added issue that (due to the shape of South Vietnam) families were in cities close to the front, making a lot of men abandon their posts to take their families and flee at the first sign of a communist breakthrough. There's a lot more examples - the Airborne, Rangers, and whatever remained of the Marines continued fighting on even in Saigon until the surrender. All of this can be found in the book 'Black April' or 'Vietnam From Ceasefire to Capitulation.' The AP has footage of destroyed T54s in the streets of Saigon, even though those reporters called them abandoned South Vietnamese tanks (they literally have the communist star on their hulls so how they did that is remarkable). Historians reviewing the war right now are astonished by how wrong the mainstream narrative has been, which predominantly says that Saigon just straight up surrendered - there has been a boom in recent academia that's more favourable towards South Vietnam. The Mekong Delta generals, Nguyen Khoa Nam (IV Corps Commander) and Le Van Hung (IV Corps Vice Commander), both well-liked by their men, unalived themselves in the shame of defeat.
I learned some. Thank you
@@MemoryofSouthVietnam Still didn't change the fact that South Vietnam wasted 20 years not getting up to speed. All that Yankee money went to... Where, exactly? And I still have yet to understand why Diem thinks it's a good idea to antagonize the Buddhists. All I got from Saigon is that it has no idea or inclination to do anything by itself and when the US has to leave they are doing poorly because... They didn't plan for this...
@@MemoryofSouthVietnam This is historical revisionism with very little to go on. While in any conflict involving millions of men you are going to have vastly different experiences between troops/units/individuals and so forth, the ARVN performed extremely poorly all things considered. South Vietnam had more tanks, artillery, tanks, APCs, aircraft, and helicopters compared to the North and had many more troops overall. Whatever "material deficiencies" the South had, the Communists had much worse. Never mind the fact that the Communists never had the "luxury" of having the US do the majority of the fighting for them and inflict significant damage on the enemy. Despite all of this, the South Vietnamese collapse happened in around 4 months, no amount of revisionism can change that.
Very true, another example, after the CCP crossed the Yangze River many KMT surrendered or switched sides but we can all see how ROC still persists in TW.
In regards to the idea that "Russians fighting with only spades is the exception," it's more like, "it didn't happen." The idea of them only using shovels came from a headline which stated they were using only shovels and guns. The "and guns" part was glossed over, intentionally. 😂
yep it was a deliberate tactic of having dedicated trench diggers when taking a new position
@@sniperjared I just want to know when Russian soldiers haven't been equipped with shovels in addition to their guns. Don't American troops also fight with entrenching tools (and guns)?
Indeed the panthlet said that the basic weapons of a russijan soldier are a rifle and a shovel, and the lying media reported that the basic weapons of a russijan soldier is his shovel failing to mention the rifle.
Tabloid writers when they find out soldiers have been carrying entrenching tools since WWI 😱😱
@@asahearts1 They are but the tactic is, a group made to attack, they break out, then the trench diggers and ammo carry follow them and so on and on. So their main weapon is a showel cause that is their mision
"Russia has a large and well-equipped army, but the large part isn't well-equipped and the well-equipped part isn't large"
That’s almost all militaries, after the Cold War countries stopped preparing for total war and focused on smaller better trained and equipped units for small scale operations and then leaving a larger less trained and worse equipped force for actual homeland defense
@@David-cj8wv The contrast is perhaps not as stark, at least in the more prepared militaries.
Bu ordered and prepared do you happen to be in like western European militaries that run out of bombs after two weeks of operations and don’t even have working armor production lines to deal with tank losses?
I respectfully disagree. Its the case for many militaries, but it would be hard to argue the British or Danish armies are large and poorly equipped, its the opposite. They are very well equipped, but far too small.
@@whyshouldwecare3267Denmark has 7 to 9K professional troops. Britain has the ambition to field 30K men. If you are not able to equip 39K soldiers you have a problem.
How about this: Reality is never as bad as one internet group says it is and never as good as the other internet group says it is. The internet is a wonderful, awesome source of information. It is also aa cesspit.
yes got litterally every source you want at your fingertips From actual reports to shitposts.
This campaign reminds me of a book written by waffen ss soldiers. Some said the Russians fought great, others they fought poorly. Or one day they would fight to the death, and the next day run with the first shot of a rifle. Its all over the scale in Ukraine fighting just like ww2. But just like German troops of late 44 and 45,we should not underestimate the Russians. This gentleman in the video gives a fair view. Excellent choice of opinion. Great video. Stay safe.
It helps that the Red Army of 1944 and 1945 were amply supported through Lend-Lease. And they were able to push the Germans back before so using late WW2 as an example of Russian tenacity is iffy at best as the circumstances between it and 2023-2023 Russia are not there...
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 i think you mistook what I meant. And perhaps i did not write it the correct way. I was merely implying the way Russian soldiers seem to typically fight in general. I didn't mean to imply the situations were or are the same. Clearly very different situations. And yes you are correct in reply.
The same was written of German soldiers when they were on the run. I don’t know how stupid a person would need to be to assume a large army would all be completely uniform in their fighting, equipment, training or morale.
@@afcgeo882 i have never heard this about the germans myself but it makes sense. Stupid people make up the world. Its just a matter of one person staying in the same place to long without expanding experience.
@@shawnflynn1713 Oh tons of stories about some Germans fighting to the last, but so many just dropping their weapons and running. War gets real very quickly and for those who were not prepared, trained, indoctrinated and well-led it makes no sense to die when they can just run away and live. When Germany was invaded, all of the allied soldiers noted these discrepancies.
Whenever war breaks out, truth is the first casualty. So, so hard to know what to believe. 🤷♂️
Ironically internet trolls on both sides make the same mistake: grossly underestimating the enemy, thus painting an hopelessly optimistic picture that cant hold up to reality and therefore undermines the own sides credibility (and perhaps even morale, think Tet Offensive). Anyway, victories are best celebrated after actualy wining.
That quote can be applied to anyone at anytime, you just never know until you do.
It's more than this: complex systems can be overestimated and underestimated at the same time, just like we can suffer of inflation with regards to housing and food, while companies suffer from deflation at the very same time in the same country!
In Germany we seem to be in the strange situation that on one hand we overestimate Russia massively because of its pure size and WW2/Cold War memory, but on the other hand we totally underestimate it because of some sort of strange picture we have of drunk and corrupt Russians. I tried to do my bit against this with a simple Video in which I compared current Russia to the Soviet Union to at least point out that Russia is by far not as capable as the SU was.
Russia is not doing to bad considering it had the reset button pressed 32 years ago. Germany and Japan went through this, Germany twice btw.
Yes is part of NAzi propaganda. The 11 principles of Nazi propaganda created by Goebbels: 1.- Principle of simplification and of the single enemy. To adopt a single idea, a single Symbol; to individualize the adversary in a single enemy. 2.- Principle of the contagion method. To gather diverse adversaries in a single category or individual; The adversaries must be constituted in an individualized sum. 3.- Principle of transposition. To load on the adversary the own mistakes or defects, answering the attack with the attack. "If you cannot deny the bad news, invent other news to distract them. 4.- Principle of exaggeration and disfigurement. Turn any anecdote, no matter how small, into a serious threat. 5.- Principle of vulgarization. "All propaganda must be popular, adapting its level to the least intelligent of the individuals to whom it is addressed. The larger the mass to be convinced, the smaller the mental effort to be made. The receptive capacity of the masses is limited and their comprehension is scarce; besides, they have great facility to forget". 6. Principle of orchestration. "Propaganda should be limited to a small number of ideas and repeat them tirelessly, presented again and again from different perspectives but always converging on the same concept. Without fissures or doubts." This is also the origin of the famous phrase: "If a lie is repeated often enough, it ends up becoming the truth". 7. Principle of renewal. It is necessary to constantly issue new information and arguments at such a pace that when the adversary responds, the public is already interested in something else. The adversary's answers must never be able to counteract the increasing level of accusations. 8.- Principle of verisimilitude. Build arguments from different sources, through the so-called trial balloons or fragmentary information. 9.- Principle of silencing. To silence on the issues on which there are no arguments and to conceal the news that favor the adversary, also by counterprogramming with the help of related media. 10.- Principle of transfusion. As a general rule, propaganda always operates on the basis of a pre-existing substratum, be it a national mythology or a complex of traditional hatreds and prejudices; the aim is to disseminate arguments that can take root in primitive attitudes. 11. Principle of unanimity. To convince many people that they think "like everyone else", creating the impression of unanimity. I think, you are talking about point 10 and point 8, point 4, point 6.
It's all propaganda, Russia nowhere tops the lists of drunkenness or corruption
@@novosib9017 Arguably, the examples of Japan and Germany show that 32 years is a very long time. Both countries did very well economically at that point.
@@Nimmermaer of course, with massive western investment. My point is that Germany and Japan have had since 1945, as that is when their reset buttons were pushed.
thank u for intelligent videos on this subject, not easy to find these days👍🏽
Glad you like them!
One thing I find disconcerting is all those experts on the Russian army, niether speak Russian, travel to Russia, have served in the Russian army. It's very worrying. They all quote each other, refer to each others work. , But I don't think a single one has even seen a Russian soldier.
True.. I have.. And the soliders live like shit and are poorly motivated.. Army culture is based on russian prison culture with its castes.. Nothing is maintained.. Everything stolen. Training is poor.. But ivan when his blood is up and he has real motivation to fight and not just being being forced to is a beast who will outmatch any other.. He can live in filth and death for months without a single complaint and it capable of fanatical brutality and extreme cunning.. But in this war he is not motivate.. That may change.. But so long as the homefront.. ie russia.. Is safe and comfy.. Economy is booming now.. Army ivan dosnt care to fight.. If bombs rained on moscow and ivans exsistance was threatened he might go mad like a wild animal. And he would be a reall adversary that would be very dangerous but its not.. He is just forced to fight another ivan just like him that he use to be best friends with.. Dostn get ivans blood up
@@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367 I know a Russian tanker, he doesn't quite live up to your discription, I'm sure he'd be flattered though...
@@merocaine haha well russia is anything but predicatable.. Russians areeat for the machine. A giant prison. But as is always the case in prison.. Anything can happen.. Also i can say tye sheer number of wreckless. Violent maniacs in rissian society is impressive.. In the 90s it really was something to witness. This type of maniac thinking is present enough in the society that when you need to get some ivan meat moving you can almost always find a good maniac to do it
@@danielstewart8339 i lived there for a long time.. First hand saw the opperations in the north caucasus.. And their faliures. Pretty good firdt hand exprience.. If thats what you mean.. I remeber russians selling other russian soliders as capitives tp be traded back for money.. They also sold russian soliders- Conscripts as slaves to the local dagestani brick factories.. 🤣.. Not a first class army for sure.
@@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367 wouldve been more convincing if youd typed in russian.
What footage of "human waves?" I've never seen it.
Individual Ukrainian front units and soldiers have reported about such attacks. There's even some footage over Russian soldiers who have surrendered in a completely poor state of clothes and equipment. However those are single impressions Ukrainians have gathered at the front. Apart from some propagandists I've never heard a Ukrainian say that this is a regular observation all the time.
@@michaelburggraf2822 So you haven't seen it either.
There is an image of a field with 50+ KIA wagners. Footage im not aware of
@@bozo5632 I've seen videos of made Russian fighters taken as POW by Ukrainian troops. They wore neither proper uniforms nor proper footwear. Intercepted phone calls of Russian soldiers at the front with relatives and friends are providing further confirmation. Reporters for the British BBC who have been accompanying Ukrainian units to the front have reported about it a couple of months ago about it. I think I've seen and heard sufficient evidence of it. However there's enough footage showing that many fighters of the Russian side are equipped properly too. Feel free to put that into doubt too.
@@michaelburggraf2822 LDNR and some volunteer units are / were self-equipped or often otherwise poorly equipped. Russian regulars get regulation Russian equipment, which is decent. VDV has good stuff. Wagner has whatever they want. Like Ukraine: Territorials have minimal / insufficient gear; regular troops had (have?) regulation kit; special units get whatever they want.
if we are supposed to be the free West, we should be able to handle a little truth, right?
Wrong
Truth is hateful and hurts people's feelings, therefore not to be encouraged.
You just emigrated here?
Sometimes people don't like hearing the bad news. though it has been confirmed T80BVM "Bunny" has been lost.
@@davidty2006 what is so special about that tank?
There is another saying: The Russian Army is modern and large. Fortunately, the modern part is not large, and the large part is not modern.
Good one.
Perun
If the Ukraine war was a comedy variety show, Russia would be in trouble.
That's frickin' hilarious 😆
Exactly like the German Army in WW2. The Panzer divisions and motorised infantry divisions were modern, but the vast bulk of the German army was composed of infantry divisions with no more mobility than the German infantry divisions of 1914-18. They were transported by rail, marched on foot and were supplied by horse-drawn carts. Much of the Russian army in Ukraine has poor logistics, not enough trucks to keep the troops properly supplied.
I am reminded of your often given warning, _“Take this with a grain of salt.”_ In this case the salt comes from the Salzburg Salt Mine in Hallein. During my “Grande Tour" in 1970, I was fortunate to ride the wooden rails between levels as a 17 year old USA student between High School & College.
History repeats. When Germany failed to destroy the Red Army in 1941 they taught the Soviet forces many valuable lessons, which they encompassed in their subsequent doctrine in 1942 and more especially in 1943. Combat teaches lessons that sharpen and alter theory, and Russia has provided many examples in her history that prove she is especially well placed to profit from such lessons. Russia has always waged long wars, and always adapted to the lessons initial contact with enemy forces have provided. Her geography allowed this in the past, and although there is no retreat into the vastness of Russia this time, the acceptance of adapting doctrine amongst the Russian command structure is an absolute, regardless of the situation Russia faces.
I have a hard time believing that these guys have only just read about Russians using drones to counter artillery. I've seen like 50 videos of Lancets wiping out all kinds of NATO howitzers and SP artillery and I don't even look for these videos they are so common.
Not as common as they should be though. From personally count, they’ve barely scratched the amount of artillery systems the west has provided to Ukraine, with the biggest losses so far being the towed M777s.
@@nobodyherepal3292 again, you are still a nobody.
@@nobodyherepal3292 And M109s and AS50. Only one or two KRABs has been filmed getting Lancet.
@@pilotman9819 eh, a few other SPAs have been hit, (not the AS90 though, those literally just arrived but they look very similar to the Krab as they use the same turret)
We were actually talking about an integrated counter-battery system based on loitering munitions; not just loitering munitions attacking SPG.
I think people often forget that the Russian Army is usually a there tier system. Tier 1: Elites. Tier 2: Regulars. Tier 3: Conscripts.
There are no real elites left and when they did exist they did not compare to Western special forces. More accurate would be: 1. Competent regulars/mercenaries, 2. Mediocre reservists, 3. Cannon fodder
The problem is that the "elites" have performed very poorly, at least in the early stages of the war. They had big successes in the South for sure, but mostly due to a lack of resistance in those areas.
Russian elite troops: only drunk half the time. Russian regulars ; drunk all the time. Conscripts: drunk AND drugged all the time.
@@jackroutledge352 They performed ok. They relied on a fast victory. Heard that most of them never knew that they are going to invade.
@@jackroutledge352 No matter how elite your force is. You are still made of flesh and bone. If you are unlucky or your commanders commit a mistake, you are going to die regardless of how elite you are.
People that laugh at the Russians never seem to be able to reconcile their flippancy with ongoing Russian success. If they’re using spades and Kalashnikov rifles then their opponents seem to have trouble dealing with them. In my mind Russia is a highly militarised country with an extraordinary capacity to endure suffering and loss. They seem to start many wars with appalling mistakes and errors, then they learn, they rebuild, and they bring it. Argue all you want, the Russians seem to also have one of the lowest tendencies to surrender in history. These are unique qualities that you underestimate at your nation’s peril.
They have been using loitering munitions since the beginning of the conflict
Still, a largely neglected fact in the Western military sphere is that both armies suffer from similar problems - be it lack of training, equipment or junior officers, assault tactics, or big reliance on conscripts.
Actually I think the Ukrainians have survived in part because of junior officers and non-coms. Russians have also never really relied on non-coms, something I forgot 20 years ago.
Conscripts can be quite good when well motivated and their countries in general are planned for defense, and especially in a defensive war. Finland is a good example of this. Not so much when it comes to an offensive war for a pointless and deceitful cause in a corrupt state.
Comscription in itself isn't the issue. The thing with Russia is that conscripts serve in Russia, and in theory mobilized men are expected to have retained skills from their service so a refresher course is all it takes to bring them up to speed.
@@ChucksSEADnDEAD A conscript army will need certain kinds of training in order to be cohesive enough for an offensive in another country. But it should be possible to do it. That was how the Red Army conquered Poland, Romania, Hungary, Eastern Prussia, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the Baltics, and even eventually fought with the Finnish against the Germans in late 1944. But the superstructure must be supportive for it to work right. Russia in principle has the population numbers, geographic size, and natural resources to create armies like this, but it lacks the political system to create honesty among their own ranks, a culture with minimal corruption, and completely lacks an attitude of good will that encourages hearts and minds to cooperate with them.
@@recoil53 Every interview with western trainers says Ukraine having a NCO corp is a huge myth. It doesn't exist mate. I can point you to a million articles and interviews that corrects this.
10:45 Speaking of Russians believe in their side propaganda and having a full video based on our side propaganda is hilarious... And the initial symptoms of a meltdown ate the end of the video - priceless!
ya they guy had a huge doze of salt. he won't admit that russia is winning the numbers don't lie only poeple lie especialy to themselves. COl Macgregggor says that Ukranian air defences are basically depleted in all by the most important rear areas and now russia has restarted their bombing campeign in short nowhere in Ukraine is safe anymore but we want to say RUSSIA BAD HURRRR.
Russia always manages to be simultaneously impressive and disappointing every war they fight.
You just explained every Army ever.
can anyone share a link to the Russian human wave video because i have never seen any evidence of this.
There is no evidence of this.
The reason I try not to rely on media when it comes to conflicts across the globe. Most of it is propaganda with very lottle value
The Russian forces were using drone for artillery registration since the Donbass war ,
0:01 some random Wehrmacht general "......." circa about 1943 / 1944
The Soviet pretty much passed the cold with a poker face while the west spent more on defense. It made the moto "Trust but verify" legendary.
Interesting, thanks!
These "Russian troops are shit" memes are really stupid. You're telling me that the Ukrainian army cant push out a outnumbered opponent that uses old AK's and shovels??
They are shit, Ukraines army was still weaker, and still arguably is because it is smaller. People make fun of Russia because Russia spouted that it was the most powerful military force in Europe, and they've struggled this hard to beat a far more poor and less populous nation. Saying the Russian military is shit doesn't mean they're completely useless
The way I look at it is that if Russia wanted the conflict over then they'd have the conflict over. War = better economic output for the military industrial complex. Not to mention how stretched the Russian forces need to be due to multiple external threats on most of their borders.
To be fair, the Ukrainian military was even worse at the start of the war. They were severely tired, depleted and underfunded. What we’re seeing now is FAR better quality soldiers than the Ukrainian army used to have.
@@MapShiba You look at it that way? You know, I used to have a friend who believed that the Earth was flat. I mean truly believed it. You two would get along very well.
@@afcgeo882 they did enough work to get the military in good enough shape to resist the initial invasion, now it's a matter of trying to push the Russians out
I’m sorry but interviewing a Belgian expert on Russian military affairs is like interviewing a Russian expert on NATO military affairs. The bias cannot be escaped, nor can it be hidden behind expertise. The only way this topic can ever be balanced is by turning it into a debate between the two warring sides. Like the comment about the Russian soldiers being motivated because they believe the propaganda. For them, it’s obviously reality. I actually studied propaganda in a British university. As a reminder, the British invented it. It’s an incredibly complex thing, and it shouldn’t be claimed just because you despise your opponent (such as this gentleman here). Otherwise, the very fact that you claim it is propaganda.
There's this saying - The moment you start believing your own propaganda, you know you fkd up big time.
Propaganda existed long before the British existed, maybe you should read some Caesar.
tokcu4eh на веномансере играть любишь что ли?
No one should underestimate Russia. Its capacity for death and destruction is always there.
Yep.. Russia is like a stubborn mule.. It can pannic and bolt leaving its goods or it can kick you to death... Or it can slowly plod forward while being beaten and clobbered until it reaches its desired destination one-way or another
@Mialisus if the guns were pointed inwards we wouldn't be in this situation.
@@danielstewart8339 they traded men for time. People are just a resource when a war is on. Remember the victor of said conflict for a cookie?
@@danielstewart8339 The German Wehrmacht with Operation Bagration? I may be wrong though.
@@danielstewart8339 you do know that Russia had a small population boom in the late 2000s and early 2010s , some of which are close to reaching fighting age , comoarable to any european country they would have more as the manpower will keep increasing unironically for almost 1 decade and then stagnat and fall unless they have another small population boom
I’m leaving a comment for the Algo, but also prefer more sober analysis of wars.
Simple video, but very excellent. This is important.
Glad you liked it.
@@danielstewart8339 Your comment has nothing to do with the video. Nowhere was it stated that it was winning, or that Russia is doing great. There is no point to your comment.
The reason they gave them shovels is because they're building defense lines right behind the front, as soon as territory is captured. This is making Ukrainian counterattacks in Bakhmut harder to achieve, which is why the Russians are the ones generally advancing.
Yes, exactly
You guys have skirted around my pet hate. Since the start of this war the media has pretty much been telling us what to think. They should really go back to simply reporting the news and leave opinions to the historians who will produce their documentaries soon enough.
No. That’s not the media. Besides, which media are you referring to because this channel is media too. Twitter is media. So is TikTok. Mainstream media doesn’t have an opinion on this, other than it necessarily gets its crews in the field who are invariably located in Ukraine for pretty obvious reasons. Most of the propaganda we see is generated by other agencies, like the US State Department. All those rumours like ‘Putin’s got cancer’ or ‘Putin is about to be overthrown’ are not products of ‘the media’. Where does that come from? Not professional media organisations. We complain about ‘Russian bots’ but we have plenty of our own. Anyone who has read anything of history knows that these things are largely managed as recruiting tools. Join the colours before the war ends and get your dose of adventure. Ukraine has to look vulnerable and strong at the same time. It also helps us overlook some of the faults of our notional ally. As long as we’re talking about how weak Russia is, we don’t have to talk about groups like the Azov division. A casual look at history will show that the west believes what it wants to believe. It has the luxury of doing so. The American view, based on their own history, is that ‘the people will rise up and overthrow the evil dictator’ or even more simply, ‘good will triumph over evil’, despite the delineation between the two being necessarily hazy. So, in fact, this has nothing to do with ‘the media’ stereotype. If you want to learn something, you need to move on from that.
Unterschätze niemals deinen Feind.
sagen sie Mal Rabi Alias Alias: Seit wann sind die Russen ihre Feinde geworden? Grüße nach die Haifa psy ops division!
Never believe the enemy is the enemy, just because your govt tell you they are.
@@John.B.Jenkins thank you rabbi Finkelstein.
@@jefreyjefrey6349 I wish I understood this reference.
@@John.B.Jenkins my government never told me to hate bandits. I figured that out myself. Russian culture is bandit culture.
keep underestimating.
On the predections of imminent morale collapse, I want to say those we were being handed out (by just a few sites) before the war even began. Though I do genuinely many Russians units suffer from low morale. But in my opinion, widespread morale collapse is wishful thinking.
I think it can happen, but only if forced by Ukrainian movement.
Collapse to us would make sense if our own countries and parliaments were at risk of degradation in several years. Collapse in a military sense should be a state like the Nazis were in February 1945, or maybe even only after the Western Allies crossed the Rhine River in force where it was a couple of months away. Whose metric are you using to measure collapse?
Interesting
Do I make jokes at Russia's expense, yes...do I think they are accurate never.
5:45 of course, it's a conscription army fighting for the first time in decades. Why people expect anything else?
That quote pretty much at least loosely connects to another saying that people often say about the russian military and it goes like "Russia has a large and modern army, but the large part of their army is not modern and the modern part of their army is not large"
why isnt full screen mode available for this video?
I assume that is a bug or something, try reload.
@@MilitaryHistoryNotVisualized still wasn't working, tried again an hour later and it worked ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It’s funny because you can just replace ‘Russia’ with almost any country
How so?
@@nobodyherepal3292 ask saddam when he thought the 1993 Mogadishu incident meant the US was a glass cannon that couldn’t handle casualties Ask the Argentinians when they thought the British wouldn’t care about their islands Ask the British when they thought the Argentinians weren’t able to threaten them Ask the Pakistanis when they thought India would roll over after the Chinese invaded in 1962 In all of these, and so many more, nations thought ‘oh they couldn’t do this or that, they’re too weak’ and we’re proven wrong the hard way ‘India/US/UK/Argentina is never as weak as they seem and never as strong as they seem’ It’s got as much to base it on as the Russians, unlike the Russians none of these nations have histories filled with pathetic performance in massive scale war like in 1853, like in 1807, like in 1914, like in 1940, as the Russians
@@looinrims yes in 2 of those wars the russians ended up marching across thousands of kilometers into the capitals of their enemies
@@rubengutierrez19 when did they enter Helsinki? When did they enter London? In all of those listed the Russians were completely defeated, not sure who’s telling you misinformation or if that’s just you but you shouldn’t listen to them
It reminds me of a series of images depicting the weapons used in specific wars. First, it looked like evolution of military technology, but then when it came to the American Civil war, WWII and WWII, it was a total mess from state of the art technology to weapons that were woefully outdated, including trench clubs, catapults, crossbows, muskets (WWII!).
Flesh, and what maims does not change. Be it 1942 or 2022.
@@novosib9017 I said that as well, when the Charlie Hebdo attack occurred. They had assault rifles, grenades, and bullet proof vests. The cops had only pistols. I said that you might as well hide behind a door with a dagger in your hand and have the same chances if not better than the cops had... Also, if you successfully ban firearms, people start crossing their blades again...
so wait, you're telling me that the Russians aren't conscripts fighting with shovels in Bakhmut as British intelligence reports? 😂
Id say a part of it is that people cant differentiate the soldier from Russia vs DNR/LNR.
What was up with your MIG 41 video on your other channel Seemed like a tik tok warrior video
?
@@MilitaryHistoryNotVisualized you are the guy from military aviation history ?
@@avus-kw2f213 no, that is Chris.
@@MilitaryHistoryNotVisualized I can see past the rubber mask and CGI
Yes, even in my country, the Czech Republic, broad classes have minimal knowledge about Russia and the russian mentality, and showing the millionth Russian city on a map is a problem for them. I understand it historically - we experienced the Russian invasion and have the right to hate the Soviet Union. But not many remember that anymore. However, for political practice, such uneducatedness, arrogance and superstitious stupidity together with national and cultural aversion is very dangerous. Tom, Pilsen
Do young people hate Russians too?
I would like to comment, that the individuals, even some commanders, of the Russian forces will be able to innovate, and the Russian forces might even be able to put in new tactics throughout their armed forces... The real issue they have is the system not the individual soldier or even squad, company, battalion or division level as far as learning and innovating is concerned. But this type of learning is at a tactical level, the real issue is going to be at the operational and strategic level, the logistics level, the economic production level and even more importantly the command and control from the Kremlin itself. Anybody who thinks that the individual soldiers or group thereof of some organizational level, are unable to learn or unable to adapt is in for a rude awakening. But at a much higher level, the one that actually wins the wars, they will not be able to truly do the changes that will allow them to win the war
Oh boy... The Russian have already won the war on the "much higher level". The sanctions that were supposed to cripple them backfired on us so bad that we may never recover from this political idiotism. The "political isolation of Russia" did not happen and in fact - 4/5 of the world is showing us a big fat middle finger while actively trading and cooperating with Russia. And they have the resource and the economic base to wage and win this war. While I guess surprisingly to you, we cannot print weapons and ammo in the same way we print dollars. And with our economics that are 80% fart based and in debt for centuries ahead, with no resource base, no industrial base we still have the delusions that we can win this war against the world??? With what exactly?
Plus on highest level, there is no path to actually win the war by Russia, because (at this time) it would require conquering and securing "annexed" regions, plus wide international recognition of this fact. There is no chance of this things happening. On the other hand, Ukraine has a very clear path to victory, liberation of all regions. The war may not stop at that point, but just by aligning de facto and de iure borders would give Ukraine very strong position diplomatically.
yes becasue you know them so well and have talked to them to understand how they think.
@@jirivegner3711 Another one... Russia will take the 4 regions and most probably everything east of Dniepr plus Odessa, Nikolaev and Kryvoi Rog. It may take another year, but they will win this war of attrition and neither Ukraine, neither NATO can do much about that. Ukraine had the chance and year ago to get rid of the war with the loss of maximum 4 regions, but USK have sent BoJo to terminate the peace negotiations. Now the war will end when Russia decides to do it. Oh, and about the "international recognition" - they don't give a F anymore. Crimea is not "recognized" too and what? Something changed? Welcome to the reality.
The thing most people miss is a question Putin must always keep in mind. "How do I wage war against a country where half of my citizens have relatives?"
Apparently by leveling every town his army comes across with artillery….
Most Ukranian citizens with familial links to Russia are already in Russia.
@@revenone1077 Nonsense.
@@bozo5632 Go and disprove both Ukr and Russian government official statistics.
@@revenone1077 You believe Russian statistics? LOL 😅🤣
There's this thing I've noticed called "russia bad memes." Basically, it's all these jokes, half truths and stories from the beginning of the war when russia was pretty incompetent, that have shaped most people's idea of the russian military. Take heavy equipment losses, for example. At the start of the war with the March to Kiev, yes, russia was taking very heavy tank, BMP, BTR, and whatever else losses. People made memes about turret popping, tanks littering the road, and so on. But that time has pasted. Sure, Vuheldar happened, but besides that, russia isn't taking those big losses like at the start. But those jokes, memes, pics, and vids are now ingrained into people's minds. So now every thinks russia suffers like 50 tank losses a week or even more. My point being that some of these things were true at a time, but their very outdated now a days. And another thing, people seem to either forget or don't know that militaries can adapt change. Like russia starting to use smaller assault groups that end with fewer casualties and play to their strengths. Unlike at the beginning of the war where they tried to bliz, which isn't really russia's strong suit
ppl laughing should go to the front line and laugh at someone shooting with an old AK
the sad thing is the West media is pushing the BS and making this last longer. plus you cant have a talk online and say anything positive about Russia without being attacked. does my name sound like I`m Russian lol
"russia isn't taking those big losses like at the start." Oryx database with documented losses says otherwise.
WAS incompetent?? You think they are competent NOW??
@pat verum I'll put it this way. They've gotten smarter, not smart, just smarter then at the beginning
I see a lot of parallels between Russia in 2023 and the Soviets in 1943 onwards, primarily using their seemingly inferior conscription-based manpower to their advantage. It's not as simple as human waves because that implies no targets or objectives. Troops with less training cannot execute complex manoeuvres and tactics the way fully professional forces can, so while the tactics are simple, it isn't without an objective, and Ukraine used the same policy in the early days with its TDF forces to great effect. Just like the Soviets, Russia has shown itself to be willing to accept casualties of both troops and material in a way we in the West would deem utterly unacceptable, and one of the mistakes is we apply Western tactical thinking to Russia, which is just not correct. It's a different style of warfare that is completely foreign to the West. To me, it's one of the reasons why Russia's BTG's were a failure; they were too big and too complex for an army that doesn't not have a large enough full-time element. Russia has switched to doing what it knows how to do. The attrition is obviously starting to bite, but then the Soviet thinking behind the deep storage of everything with armour and a gun was so it could keep hurling tanks and IFVs at the problem and simply outlast any opponent, for example last year the head of the British army suggested the attrition rate of Russian tanks would have seen the entire UK Tank fleet destroyed in under two weeks, and yet here Russia is over a year later still with models of its primary types still common (T-72-B3 for example).
And yet, they still haven’t broken Ukrainian lines anywhere along the front. They literally cream themselves online every time they take a *street* in Bakmut, while the Ukrainians have retaken 10,000+ *kilometers* of land back. But some how that’s “irrelevant” to the Z-boys online 🙄
@@nobodyherepal3292 yes you are a nobody. Your name is correct.
@@nobodyherepal3292 well, to be fair, they exhausted many of ukrainian troops in bakhmut (especially) , avdeevka and svatovo. We will see how Ukrainian counteroffence plays out, but there is a chance that it will be only partial success, with russians continuing to fight, and the war will be protracted.
@@KirkirPL to be fair, the Russians are also exhausted as well. They’ve been fighting here for almost 11 months non-stop, and their winter offensive failed miserably.
_'I see a lot of parallels between Russia in 2023 and the Soviets in 1943 onwards'_ 😂 All it needs is the motivation of the Ukrainians (who comprised 40% of the Red Army) and the millions of tons of supplies from the USA. What drivel, there is no comparison.
Curious that they think there is a uniform western mentality There maybe an Anglo mentality and bunch of European countries trying to have an Anglo mentality but not really understanding that mentality The curious thing is the Russian I suspect have a better understanding of of anglo/ “western” mentality than the countries of the EU
Maskirovka. Either ironically or unironically, Russia practices this and have been part of their psyche for centuries.
its actually a part of life. Many Russians are always still bewildered by what happens in their day to day lives.
Russia's displayed performance in Ukraine still seems to be remarkably lackluster, regardless any over- or underestimation of its actual and potential capabilities.
Capitain Lunch box is never weak!!!!!
Everyone seems to forget that Ukraine has to employ mobilizations and drafts like the Russians do. Those Long line of volunteers at the depot station aren’t a thing anymore. Ukraine just had to levy 400,000 new conscripts. Ukraine literally has like a million men in the field it’s like 2:1 manpower advantage it used to be like 3-4 Ukrainians to 1 Russian before the mobilization. The new Ukrainian conscripts aren’t getting that long of training either which means they are also becoming less effective.
The "attacking with spades" comment is a misquote used by pro Russian internet commenters. Outside of them, it was never said. What was said by a British think tank referred only to Bakhmut and was "small arms and spades". I believe that he was also referring to the convict cannon fodder and not the regular Wagner troops.
You're incorrect, this misquote has been countlessly repeated by pro-Ukraine commenter as well. It's a situation where uninformed people on both sides are repeating the statement for different reasons; pro-Russians are laughing at pro-Ukraine people for repeating it as if it's the truth whilst also not realising it was never a real quote to begin with. Very strange.
@@mostdumbestbitch My goodness, a reasoned response on the internet. Appreciate it. I stand corrected.
The convicts were never used as cannon fodder. They were used no differently from the regular Wagner volunteers. It's also worth mentioning that the convicts were not pressed into service like in WW2, they all volunteered after being told of the incredibly strict regulations they would be working under. Regarding the spades, those were dedicated trench builders. Their job was to dig fortifications for the other men, then withdraw to a safer position, then repeat when the time came to change position
@Pat Wilson your comment was great too my friend. Didn't mean to sound patronising because you were otherwise spot-on.
@@filmandfirearms BS. Utter, complete BS. Yes, they were given some artillery support, and yes, the phrase "human wave" is not really accurate. However, the attack doesn't have to be human wave for you to be cannon fodder. They were sent in poorly equipped (they did have guns so I'm not claiming they were sent in with shovels) and, more importantly, very poorly trained and led. They were used to locate enemy positions with their lives, the very definition of cannon fodder. Once positions were located, artillery and better trained and equipped Wagner troops would perform the real attack. It doesn't get much more cannon fodderish than that. Maybe human mine clearing is worse, but not by much.
The state of the Russian armed forces is of extremes. Worst to best side by side. Must make them hard to predict.
Interesting analysis. Barbarossa day June 22nd typically when the ground is dry enough to advance across with heavy equipment is still a little more than 2 months away. Not sure how many Western tanks will have reached the Ukraine by then and if we will see any major armored attacks bye either side.
You think Russians don't know by now those tanks are coming. I would be surprised if every squad is not equipped with ATGMs at this point.......
@@Tonixxy that's the least of the issues. The battle of bakmut is damaging greatly many trained Ukrainian units and absorbing lots of reinforcements, while the main russian army units are mostly chilling and probably training. I guess their bet is that Ukrainian units will be weakened after it, and not strong enough for the offensive.
@@FredFurburguer offensive, NATO is just prolonging the Ukrainian suffering. They ain't getting one inch of territory back ever again.
@@Tonixxy Kornets cost money. Even the US Army doesn't put Javelins in every squad. They are considered lavishly equipted for even having them common on the platoon level. ATGMs are even harder to make and distribute.
@@FredFurburguer You are delusional to think the Battle of Bahmut going on for 9 months is not damaging the russians
It is all propaganda. And propaganda is important to winning a war in the modern day.
Didnt work so well in Syria did it ?
I feel like I'm in a minority of one in being pretty impressed over all with the Russian army. I don't see any other European army waging such a initial half assed approach, recovering from it while Ukraine is being backed to the hilt, and now putting itself in position to win the war.
The Russians clearly learn, this is more important than pretty much any gear.. This is what makes an opponent dangerous. If Ukraine had defeated them in detail, it wouldn't matter. But they haven't and they don't. They shift the Russian forces, they repel attacks, but the Russians survive to learn from their mistakes. I don't think NATO learns as quickly. Luckily Ukraine does
You are not alone, but until now you are accused of being pro-Russia just for pointing out that they are, in fact, winning.
That is a very low bar, though. For being the 2nd or 3rd largest army they should have learned how to do it better than this. They can't just drown their problems with more bodies, the Red Army didn't get a positive rep outside the USSR until 1944 due to what happened in the Winter War. Yes they won that war but none of them flaunted that victory ever since...
Russias ability to take a beating is famous.. Dosnt mean its a good army.. Its just a prison rules army
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 No one ever accused the Russian army of being elegant, that is for sure.
Thank you for bringing up this point, "the russian army learns", I think hybris towards the capabilities of the russian army is a major problem, especially in our(GER) government in the past it lead to a reduced pressure on tanks and IFVs being supplied so late in the war. V. Putin can congratulate Mr. Scholz very dearly because after the ukrainian counter-offensive it lacked further material to cleanse more ukrainian territory from russian occupants to send them were they belong. To the point of lancet drones being used to target Howitzers: 1.) that is not that new / I saw videos and photos from drone struck/damaged howitzers for some months now. - currently the intensity of the reporting is high 2.) however when looking closely at russian propaganda videos you can see that the howitzer *mostly* - not all - are only damaged while the propagandists cut in an exploding howitzer - perhaps hoping that not so closely looking people can be overwhelmed by the visual impact, but you can make out the environment/vegetation change so Lancets mostly have not the massive total destructive power but damage to a howitzer is bad enough.
ya meanwhile i am sure the crew of said gun are just peachy don't care about them only the gun.
@@JeanLucCaptain You are cordially invited to lament about their deaths to Mr. Putin, perhaps you speak his language?
Its misquoted Clausewitz Russia is never as strong as we fear or as weak as we hope.
this applies to all armies not just russia..
Its as if reality does not run according to propaganda ...
the quote depends on what Russia is doing in war, if Russia attacks, Russia is never as strong as it looks however if Russia is invaded and defending, then its never as weak as it looks, the Russian army is a defensive army, and not an offensive one.
well if they are a defensive army then i guess they must be in ukraien becasue NATO parked 50,000 Ukranians a few KM outsode crimea with the clear intention to attack.
@@JeanLucCaptain the Russians have proven themselves more to be a defensive army, since they cant even make headway in Ukraine which is ten times weaker than Russia at the time of the invasion. Russia even struggled to win vs. Chechnya. Russian army is a guy who like to peacock that he is good at fighting but beaten like a bitch when the true fighitng starts.
regarding small civilian drones being used to spot for artillery, I really wonder what an effective way of taking them down is. even if a MANPAD can lock onto it (seems unlikely), firing a 100k missile at a 1k drone isn't sustainable. I'm curious whether an array of optical cameras linked together (to triangulate location), with something along the line of minigun(s) to put up enough lead quickly enough to hopefully get a hit, would do the trick: I can't imagine proximity fuses would get enough return to work, which means you need a direct hit, which means small might be fine.
Just a Zeus with radar.
The issue with such solutions is that they are stati, close range and cumbersome, hence a easy target for artillery. Most of the western proposals until now assume a quiet scenario, and thats not the case in Ukraine. They'll find a solution to counter drones, but apparently not in the short term.
As someone who works in the field: A combination of Radar with the right frequency, and neural network based image detection. After that you use whatever effector is suited, that can be CAN, HEL, MIS or JAM.
@@FredFurburguer We do not. The current development goes fast in the direction of vehicle based C-UAS. What you're referring to are the land based systems intended to secure FOBs and camps in overseas missions.
@@Ruhrpottpatriot I'm aware of such options. But they are still on trials, and they would be an easy prey of cheap loitering munitions & artillery if there aren't enough, are well spread, etc.
The tighter running of the economy between state and private is actually a weakness, in the west the price reflects the viability of the project, in Russia you can have the main gun of tanks being produced in St Petersburg, the engine in Chechnya, the tracks in Siberia and the chassis in Karlingrad, and then have it being assembled in Sakhalin, it's not actually cost effective at all its just that the costs are hidden in the government subsidy, and it'sall because entrenched interests want to spread the wealth and jobs to their regions. The real advantage the Russians have is that they haven't offshored or intentionally eroded vital industry (which in their case is everything they have) and that they mostly struggle with direct corruption which unlike the more subtle forms rampant in the west tend to make itself scarce once once the stakes increase (e.g. once people start being killed for it), though the problem that then brings up is that people start playing pass the parcel with blame and there is a risk of actually skilled people rising through the system and displacing the crooks (which both in Russia and the West is the last thing the political class want).
Actually, Russia did let its vital industries get eroded. Prior to the invasion, Russia can still get precision tank parts from Israel and oddly enough the US. Yes, Russian tanks are built using US Made parts compared to the US which actually made all parts of its tank domestically and by law...
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 but in the US (and basically any western state) the production is distributed across states to grant political support for the army budget, exactly as in Russia. Not such a dissimilar country despite what many like to point out.
Yeah, that's because their whole economy went to hell after the collapse of the Soviet Union (not that it was exactly healthy at any point past the first world war), I did say intentionally. Western nations particularly sponsored deindustrialisation, the Russias could serve to clean up their whole act (and then some) but at least they are in a position where a disruption to supply chains or the change in allegiance of some third party won't be fatal to the war and possibly meeting the basic needs of the population. Though perhaps I'm looking at it wrong, the current order chains nations into US interests and policy (if you're in a house of cards it's in your interest to good with the general sway and not have the whole thing collapse on top of you) and thus from the perspective of the hegemon it is brilliantly constructed, though bankrolling the economic miracle in China was probably a tad bit worse than misjudged, and a good part of the western elite don't seem to have any genuine loyalties so will probably jump ship at the first viable alternative (though that compares favourably to the Russian elite who seem to be a liability to operating a functioning system, and the Chinese elite haven't killed Xi yet so they likely have the clock ticking on how long their system can continue).
The didn't off shore their electronics because they never managed to develop that industry at all. The Russians can't make a modern tank without outside sources for that reason. You aren't wrong about the US being foolish to put so much of it's industrial reliance on China, but I wonder what happens to China if the US manages to redirect 5-10% of that into other countries within the next decade?
My point is that both the Russians and the west have very serious issues, the west is lucky that Russia has proven itself so incompetent, in terms of things like electronics you can't really blame Russian leadership, the country is a shadow of its former self and it's former self very often managed to be a shadow of a country that from the 19th century, wealth probably could have been allocated a lot better but hindsight is 20:20 and even with it the priority would be internal corruption and fixing the state of the military. The West has also been fortunate that the Chinese have taken the advantage given to them and decided to squander it on trying to institute Maoism again (literally the worse political ideology to ever exist), it is a matter of time before that backfires and the ccp gets toppled by the nationalists (and I'm not meaning Chinese civil war type republican nationalists, mainlander nationalists literally want an emperor and Confucianism, a return to the imperial system). The west has many internal issues, but it has proven better at pretending they don't exist and it's enemies are self-sabotaging to a greater extent, I would remain wary, those things won't remain static and there is every possibility that alternative powers who drink battery acid for breakfast will arise out of the oncoming economic collapse, or maybe someone in a middle eastern country will work out how to run a functioning state, Alexander the Great, Muhammad and Napoleon all came out of left field historically and we're currently leaving a lot of room open to elites who don't literally eat crayons and think that rehashing the most geocidial ideologies of the 20th century is in any way a worthwhile alternative to the current system (looking at you western academia). At least in my country things are incredibly unjust and tyrannical, with the people alienated from apparatus of power, it doesn't look it on the surface but things are incredibly volatile.
"This war will be over soon ". LoL, not til EU on it's knees.
The General ucraine Valery Zalusny is slim??😂
One important thing. In traditional for russians human waves ataks they exchange not important for society men on Ukrainian professionals
Well, the hyped Leopards got bogged down...
Gopniks in uniforms.
A Russian having an opinion that the west is threatening/attacking them is not propaganda. It is a perfectly valid worldview given the west's track record.
It's amazing how Noone seems to understand Russian battle strategy which hasn't really changed in over a century
And that is?
@@airsmellnice4133 yeet a bunch of things at the enemy and hope it works
@@davidty2006 Eventually you have a Zhukov, if you go through enough generals. Eventually the enemy runs out of soldiers if you throw enough soldiers at them. Eventually you figure out which tactics and weapons work if you try enough things. Hm, yep, your statement stands up.
That isn´t really so true. Russia actually came up with some good ideas in the Brusilov Offensive and the Soviets did learn in WW2 how to conduct an offensive and conduct a defensive action too, like Kursk which went remarkably well for the Soviets given what they were faced with and what they had to learn about war in only two years, same with their offensive into Romania and Hungary as well as Bagration. But you have to be willing to fight one of the most cruel regimes in world history to motivate people like that and to have a reason to favour Stalin over almost literally any other government.
@@davidty2006 When Russia cleaned up the ISIS problem in Syria, did they do it by yeeting conscripts at them like in a Hollywood film or did they use elite operators in special operations?
Its the law of averages. Still the first tanks guard war almost routed. Which shows us there is something wrong somewhere in Russia. And while the west does propaganda, russia does the same Ie. First tanks guards can defeat all western ground forces, while they were in reality defeated multible times by Ukraine.
how to understand if "specialist" is an idiot? He use terminology "human waves".
The major missconception from the west comes from 2 thing: -Bias anti-red fear propagated for decades. -That during the first months there where 4 main forces: +The Kyev advancing army +The regular army going trought crimea +The volunteer Army of both Zones that have been fighting ukrainians for years So you have an elite group, the regular group and 2 semi regular armies. So when mistakes ocurre like shamer afecting everyone and the like, in adition to unorganize mobilisation, make the prime cesspool for propaganda where Elite and regulars where figting withouth they air support, making the vulnerable to ambushes; and when soldier confronr the independant armies was use to generalize it all. For example, if you where to keep up with testimony of soldiers you would heard someention that: "At some point you are fighting this unorganize quasy revel group, badly equip and badly train, then you would get shelling to shit and sudenly the enemy is organize and well train" Not toention comunication problem in the feal become such an issue hat both sides where regularly in constant friendly fire. Causing even more chaos, and problems in such a big frontline.
At the fake human waves statement, just closed the video. This BS aged like milk.
Und uberchatsen nimmer deine freunde!
Are these guys serious? They really think Russia is just now figuring out using drones to guide their artillery😂. I have been watching videos of this for months, these guys are a joke
Funny thing is that's not like the UAF isn't using similar if not identical equipment and even the same field manual, and the funniest thing is that the US is suggesting the use of the Russian field manual, which untill now is being quite effective for the UAF considering their odds, what the westerner viewer don't want to see or even accept is that the Russian army and potential allies are in parity with NATO forces, and to be honest that war showed some advantages the Russians have that wasn't really thought, like standardization of equipment, strong air defense, huge artillery units and so on...
"parity" is when a country with "second military in the world" can't get a single win against a poor european state that used about 5% of NATO annual budget?
@@theslavbeing335 Can't get a win? The virtual entirety of Southeast Ukr isn't a win?
@Baron not for a second strongest military in the world. And no, not entirety, not a single oblast of southern Ukraine was ever fully captured, and the only regional capital they managed to take there - city of Kherson, they lost.
@@theslavbeing335 You have a strong case, but thinking beyond the Oblasts' borders, just geography, it is still most of Southeast Ukr.
@@baron3904 yeah, most of southeast ukr. So what? For a country who has more tanks, artilerry, ammunition, rockets, airplanes than entirety of Europe COMBINED, these are pretty terrible results. Plus, 95% of these gains were made in first three months of the war, russia only lost territory in the South since Summer (i.e. Kherson and territories north of Mariupol)
Go ahead and dump buckets of water on all the Ukrainian cheerleaders...we need it sometimes just to remind us that this is a long slugfest with real lives in the balance. Ukraine will win this by being better than Russia.💙💛💪
Блин, вот как же обидно что на западе думают что у нас в экономике рулят военные, у нас в экономике сидят нефтяные олигархи и самые отбитые либералы которых можно найти, управляют они экономикой по методике рыночной моделью экономики, буквально возводя рыночную экономику в религиозный культ. Также то что у нас по заявлением украинцев все так плохо, то я хочу напомнить то что ВС РФ снабжаются из-за запасов своей страны в то время как ВСУ должны ходить с протянутой рукой выпрашивая себе военное обмундирование\патроны\снаряды\танки и бтр\ тем самым обогащая Краус Маффей\Локхид Мартин\SAAB и остальные оружейные компании за счёт западного налогоплательщика. Ведь если судить по украинским заявлениям, то они уже уничтожили всю армию РФ 2-3 до последнего водителя и повара. А война по каким-то неведанным событиям не заканчивается видимо, Путин прав и с русскими и вправду Бог. (Шутка)
Не обращай внимание, они идиоты, которые живут в своем виртуальном мире, навязанном им медийными корпорациями и вполне счастливы, потому что (пока?) сыты. С немцами уже такое было, пока реальность прикладом ППШ в ворота Рейхстага не постучала - шли ведь в окопах Сталинграда гнить вполне сознательно, веря в скорую победу. Сейчас это будет, правда, нога дяди Сэма, который им сжиженный газ по конским ценам привез вместо дешевого трубопроводного от российских олигархов, которые счастливы были почти задаром его туда гнать, чтобы головняков не иметь. В итоге, правда, головняки сами их нашли, как мы видим, а вместе с ними и нас с вами тоже.
Thank you for this video. Even with comparatively simple means Russians are able to achieve remarkable results. Just look at their space program. From all that I've heard and read about Russia the West should seriously avoid being arrogant and complacant about Russia as an enemy.
I fear the USSR more than Russia. At least, the USSR actually put up a decent fight across the world. Russia? I will fear them when they win...
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 They won in Chechnya. They are winning in Syria and Ukraine, now that they realized where they were going wrong
@@filmandfirearms they are not winning in ukraine, nor did they win in syria. they have launched a recent massively underwhelming offensive and simple folk think because they are advancing a few metres in some positions they are 'winning'
Just look at the Russian space program - it's a miracle anybody survived. I'm not at all joking
@@filmandfirearms They lost in Chechnya too
If there is one thing this war has taught me is that when ever a westerner talks about the Russian military they are projecting the state of the Ukrainian military and western militaries in general
funniest shit i ever heard
The morale of the Russian army was extremely low across the force for the first 3 to 6 months of the war. This was a surprise war fostered upon them without preparation, completely lacking supplies, and after months of field living on the frontier. Most of them didn't want to be there. Now here we are 14 months later and most of those troops are dead or contract expired, and the current troops are mostly volunteers who volunteered specifically to fight in Ukraine after the conflict started, with overall a better supply situation, with slightly more competent leaders via darwinian selection earlier, or they are prisoners trying to serve their time to free themselves.
I think for western countries this is a good chance to look into their own history. When did Germany surrender in '45? When did Britan? When die France in 1916? Just because there are setbacks, doesn't mean that the war is over. Russia still has vast resources available, they can bring more material to the front, they (currently) have more ammunition to spare and men. The war is anything but over, and relaxing now because Russia got it's ass whopped in Charkiv is nothing more than complacency that robs Ukraine of much needed support. Wars are ended at the table diplomacy, but before that they are decided on the battlefield, and the Russian army is not yet beaten.
That is what they said with the US in Vietnam prior to the Tet offensive. Everybody thought the US was winning in Vietnam... Until it wasn't. Kharkiv and Kherson took the wind out of the Russian war effort and gave Ukraine political and propaganda leverage. To Russians who are smart enough to see the picture, they realize they can lose this war, to the Ukrainians they realize they can win this...
Ya, we have. And our history has shown that appeasement doesn’t work, and “great powers” can lose to smaller counties with enough foreign support backing the smaller country up.
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 But did it actually? First it was Kiev, then the stop of the offensive, then it was Charkiv, then it was Kherson. The war has seen so many "turning points" already, and then there's the possibility that an already beaten enemy can still win, see Afghanistan, or the seven years war, where a beaten and battered Prussia still managed to get to a status quo ante. Be careful with such statements. A war is over, when the ink on the paper has dried, not a second earlier.
Russia got out-maneuvered elsewhere, and thus withdrew a token force from Kharkov before any ass whooping could transpire there. They stopped withdrawing at the Oskol river, and there was no ass-whooping there either. Ukraine lost a lot more men and material in that offensive than Russia did. And neither side is running short on land. Russia hasn't been defeated by military force in a proper battle anywhere yet. (They've had some problems with bridges...)
@@nobodyherepal3292 If you're going to call any diplomacy "appeasement," then you might as well just start launching ICBMs.
The quote is bolocks. It's oftentimes used as a last ditch rhetoric defense by the russian proponents when they run out of arguments. The persisting fact is that all across it's existence Russia sorely lacked and lagged behind when it came to the organization level.
Well actually you should go read up on history if you think Russia always lagged behind. If you read American government sources and reports you'll find 'shock and awe' is actually based off of Russian 'mass and tempo'. The actual tale is the Russians are usually behind but will make jumps ahead every now and then (before being over taken again).
I kinda see the russians main goal as what the finnish main goal was during operation barbarossa, basically take back areas with majority finnish people.
The main goal have changed from: "All land up to Paris." To: " can I get out of this without having to lreave office? V. Putin."
@@ulfosterberg1979 Paris may have been a goal in some weird cold war fanfic you read not in reality
TikTok and Twitter videos are "deceiving" but what one German engineer says is gospel.
This conversation is good material for a psychiatrist. :) Discussing stereotypes about Russia based on other stereotypes is strong. It's very funny to watch this while sitting in Moscow. Interestingly, but it was impossible, before chatting, to ask what types of weapons are produced by "backward and eternally drunk" Russia? Let's compare the hypersonic missiles of the advanced west and Russia, air defense systems, electronic warfare systems, etc. What are you talking about? - an economy the size of Portugal? Hm. Are there many countries in the world capable of independently designing and producing: fifth-generation fighters, strategic bombers, nuclear submarines, space satellites and positioning systems, ICBMs, etc., etc.? Why does the eternally drunk and poorly trained Vanya put the whole of Europe in a shrimp position once every hundred years? Yes, yes, Napoleon brought the whole of Europe with him, in the Crimean War, Russia was opposed by the whole of Europe, the whole of Europe worked for Hitler, and they fought for him. Your conversations are kindergarten. You do not understand what is happening at all, you do not understand the goals of the NWO, without understanding the goals you cannot evaluate tactics.
Yeah its kinda pathetic how they resort to stereotypes but pretending like this is an intelligent conversation....
Overall who has the better soldiers will not affect the outcome in Ukraine. In modern war more equipment beats more manpower. RF have a lot more equipment available than UAF. In a war of attrition as the one in Ukraine, it doesn't affect the outcome of the entire campaign that one side or other have better soldiers at some point, as they will be grinded away over time. Since RF have the ability to inflict higher casualties with stand-off weapons given both artillery and air dominance they will destroy UAF over time, unless UAF succeeds in pulling off a offensive campaign winning operation. Given the current way the conflict is unfolding, UAF will be destroyed as an effective fighting force.
So, why didn’t the US best Vietnam or the Taliban despite having better equipment then bud?
@@nobodyherepal3292 Inherently bad strategy, doomed to fail in both cases.
@@bozo5632 so the Russians are doomed to the same fate then.
@@nobodyherepal3292 What's the doomed Russian strategy? (I doubt you won't just say something stupid about human waves that you received from propagandists, but I'm listening.)
@@nobodyherepal3292 The US did beat the Vietcong and the Taliban militarily. However, you can't defeat an ideology with military power. The US pulled out in both cases when it became clear that the conflicts couldn't be won.
The real problem with this iteration of the Russian army is that there are no effective standards in training, equipment or command.