Just as a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut, so Liz Truss has put her finger on something true.
Dunno, but BBC News just reported Russia as flying 200 sorties a day to Ukraine’s 10. They also said Russian planes can fire their cruise missiles at Eastern targets from within Russia.
And they just also reported that Moldova says that 1 in 8 children in Moldova is now a refugee!
Makes me wonder if Putin wants potentially very troublesome generals to be deployed that way.
This is indicative of how decision-making is done in the Red Army. In the US and in most European armies, the NCOs and the lower-level officers have a huge amount of responsibility. They have massive leeway to assess situations and make critical decisions. Not so in the Russian army. NCOs are usually they guys who have done a second enlistment, not necessarily people with more intelligence or training. Or, they’ve exhibited some adeptness for cruelty in keeping privates and corporals in line. Low-level officers do the duties that NCOs usually do in the west, but without the authority or flexibility. So, Major Generals are close to the front because they need someone up there who can make even simple decisions.
Good analysis here:
“Escape violent persecution, help us persecute civilians instead!”
Great post: I’ll have to go through the analysis later (saved as pdf), although I wouldn’t put it past Putin to leverage off the situation. Think Gorbachev and his generals.
I used less words.
Yeah, that was pretty much my point. Still a horrible mess however this is all described.
I’ve also noticed a weird tendency for even critical media and voices to get into explainers about the oligarchs. But being almost too careful about not defining oligarchy.
Like I caught this Daily show segment last night.
They never get into what an oligarch is in general, what an oligarchy is and what makes Russia one. Neither do they get into how all that oligarch wealth got stashed all over and how entirely legal it all is.
So you’re saying they’re rank amateurs? (Not that the Russian model produces modern Major-Generals either.)
OP:
I can’t believe I am making this pun, but… it is so relevant: YMMV.
In a major way.
Except that the framework for peace that he proposes is treating Ukraine like the agressor.
All of these suggestions give Ukraine less sovereignty and all Russia does in return is withdraw its army, which is engaged in an invasion that is contrary to international law and committing war crimes. With that in mind, the proposals seem needlessly lopsided.
“We were then paid $2,100 (£1,600) for a month’s work and returned home to Russia,” he told the BBC.
Wow, that seems incredibly cheap for mercenaries.
