notorious_eagle
PDF THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
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Putin was tallking about Novorossia from Odessa to Charkiv (all orange territory), but all ended in that tiny piece near Russian border.
Intentions and reality. The Russians are happy with what they got, sizeable land and population to continuously destabilize Ukraine unless it falls back into the Russian Orbit. That's good enough for Russia.
Ukrainian army is very poorly trained. They had not any conflict in past 23 years so they did nothing.
Some of their Units were very highly trained, but were completely routed by the Rebels. Poorly Trained Overall yes but Under equipped, Hell No.
Outmanoeuvred and outfought by the enemy.
SAA are locals in Tartus and Latakia, not in Idlib and Aleppo.
True, but i have a hard time believing that Syria's once Secular People will be actively supporting Al Qaeda in Idlib. Last what i read, Aleppo is still very heavily contested and the Government holds the most important parts of the city. It appears to me that Assad's goals have changed to only holding the most important economic viable areas and letting the gutter go to the rebels.
Let's see how long these Rebels last against a Disciplined Foe. Let's see how many casualties they can sustain when upgraded infantry and armour are advancing in tight formations; artillery, gunships and flankers are pounding them with deadly accuracy. They have been encircled, and for once their enemy has reconned the entire area, thus no deadly surprises for the enemy. As i said before, the Rebels in Syria are yet to face a disciplined foe and this might just be about to change.
They have been advising since very beginning. Do u think Syria air force, for example would be still operable without massive Russian help?
Sir
Maybe on Technical Level but not on Operational Level. If the Russians were, i don't think SAA would perform as horribly as it has been. One only needs to look at their Infantry or Tanker Crews in action, the amount of indiscipline is simply astonishing.
I am talking about adding an Advisor on a Company Level, if that happens believe me the efficiency of SAA will improve by many folds.
Russia lost 12 thousand troops fighting in tiny 1 million encircled Chechnya. Eventually they bribed one of the Chechen commanders so he is doing there whatever he wishes.
Syria is 22 million country - 22 times more than Chechnya.
Sir
That is not a good comparison at all. Let me elaborate:
First of all, this is not the Russian Army of the 90's. The Army that fought in Chechnya was only a shadow of the Mighty Soviet Army. Russian Troops were selling their weapons to the Rebels to make a quick buck. Their Officer Corps was rotten to the stench. It was a Conscript Army, and not a Professional One. That is not the case now. This is by far the strongest Army we have seen Russia has fielded since the collapse of the Soviet Union. This was evident in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. Their discipline, equipment and tactics were a testament to their reforms. The reason why i was impressed is because they learned from their mistakes in 2008, even though they won, they still went back to the drawing board and worked on their weaknesses. Now that is a sign of a Good Professional Army. The Russians might not make the best cars or food, but history is witness to the fact that they do make damn good Armies.
Second, Syria is not Chechnya. Syrians don't have the same stomach to fight a war like the Chechens were willing too. Not every civilian in Syria is a soldier unlike in Chechnya. Mothers are not willing to strap bombs on themselves and their kids to blow up the enemy. Also, i have not seen the FSA fight against the enemy with the same ferocity as the Chechens did. ISIS and Nusra might fight with the same ferocity but they lack the discipline the Chechens have. Some of the videos i have seen of Nusra and ISIS in action, they are simply spraying bullets up in the Air hoping one of them hits the enemy.
Thus, i believe this is not a correct comparison. Syria is not Chechnya, and this Russian Army is not the same you saw in the 1990's. I don't like Putin as a person, but he must be credited for the reforms he brought to the Armed Forces.
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