Russia and Ukraine flashpoint

[Zkuq]

SanAndreasX said:

Zkuq said:

To be fair, they did try other things too... but the initial smarter approach didn't work out because they underestimated Ukraine. Then they tried to roll over Ukraine with equipment, and now that they've run out of expendable equipment, they're at the 'throwing bodies at it' stage. Either modern warfare is really hard, or Russia is terribly incompetent. I'm guessing it's both.

I'm guessing both. That was basically the USSR's strategy for surviving WWII. If Stalin hadn't had a relatively limitless number of men to throw at the Germans, plus the harsh Russian winter and the pressure from the Western front, the Germans might very well have been able to take Moscow.

I've read that Stalin was also practically petrified for a good while after Germany attacked due to being so terrified of screwing up the whole country so badly. Apparently that would have been a great opportunity for someone else to seize power, but no one dared because of Stalin's earlier purges. Anyway, I don't know if that's true, but sometimes I wonder if Putin's apparent indecisiveness is that or if he just takes his time to consider the options and not act too rashly.

I agree that this seems to have been the Russian strategy since... I don't know, probably even way before WW2. It's definitely not anything new though.