It has long been a thing of the past to describe the state of the Russian army as desolate or friendly. Until February 24, 2022, the Kremlin’s troops were at least feared around the world. But after the invasion of Ukraine, the army suddenly stood there naked, apparently lacking everything: leadership structures, weapons, food, uniforms, bandages. The escaped Russian paratrooper Pawel Filatev reports in his book that even the shelling of his own people was the order of the day, but that nobody could rely on the payment of pay and compensation.
Modernization after the Georgia War
After Russia’s attack on Georgia in 2008, which was also fraught with failure, the Moscow leadership decided to modernize the army. It pumped hundreds of billions into the military. But much of the money seeped into the pockets of corrupt officers. The country has now lost so many weapons in Ukraine that it has to procure drones and missiles from Iran and North Korea.
When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was on his way to a state visit to the United States a few days ago, his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin reacted in his own way and had a Defense Ministry meeting broadcast live on TV. He assured viewers that the army would get any financial support it needed. His statement could also be understood as an admission that this has not been the case so far.
Putin is destroying his army’s reputation
The war is costly for both Ukraine and Russia. Just a few days ago, the number of Russian dead and seriously injured passed the alarming 100,000 mark. And while the outcome of the invasion is far from decided, Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine has shattered the image of a powerful and fearsome military force. And yet the Kremlin boss is still the master of the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. Which raises the disturbing question of what condition the estimated 6,250 Russian nuclear bombs are actually in.
Sources: DPA, AFP, T-Online, daily News, ZDF