Putin’s embarrassing one-tank parade hints at catastrophic losses in Ukraine

Atlantic Council ^ | 9th May 2023 | Peter Dickinson

[Cronos]

It would be hard to image a more fitting symbol of Russia’s declining military fortunes than the sight of a solitary Stalin-era tank trundling across Red Square during the country’s traditional Victory Day celebrations on May 9. For the past two decades, Vladimir Putin has used Victory Day to showcase modern Russia’s resurgence as a military superpower, with dozens of the very latest tanks typically taking part in each annual parade. This year, however, the only tank on display was a T-34 model dating back to World War II.

Inevitably, the embarrassing absence of tanks at this year’s Victory Day parade has been widely interpreted as further evidence of Russia’s catastrophic losses in Ukraine. Social media was soon buzzing with posts poking fun at the Kremlin. “Modern Russian military equipment can be found much more easily at Ukrainian military trophy exhibitions than at the Victory Parade in Moscow,” noted the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s official Twitter account. Others were less subtle. “There was one tank at the parade in Moscow! We laugh all over Ukraine,” posted Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko. “There are farmers in Ukraine with more tanks than that,” quipped another Twitter user.

Tuesday’s one-tank parade was the latest in a series of blows that had already cast a shadow over preparations for this year’s Victory Day celebrations. In the month preceding the holiday, more than twenty cities across Russia canceled plans to hold military parades. While security concerns were officially cited, these cancellations fueled speculation that Russia simply doesn’t have enough military equipment available to stage regional parades, with the vast majority of tanks and other vehicles having already been sent to Ukraine.

[jmacusa]

Yup. China has no plan in place that would see it invade Taiwan. Go to You Tube and check out the numerous videos on the state of the Chinese military and China itself. The place is literally falling apart.

[cabojoe]

My comment still stands, and thus the reason for a solitary 1940’s tank.

[Firehath]

are the reno - scummer

Waco creamy pants

in the Smithsonian yet

time to send over

the pentagon collection too

[Firehath]

will the leveling of kyiv

cure the liberal lust for power

[BroJoeK]

"I know, for 44 years I was married to a Korean War veteran with PTSD whose alcoholism poisoned our marriage..."

Thanks for a wonderful post.
My late dad also served in the Korean War, he was in the US Army Medical Service Corps (ambulances), with an evacuation hospital.
He never fired his weapon in battle, though he did have to point it once to steal a North Korean train to get his patients back to South Korea.
My dad didn't drink, so whatever he suffered, we were not victimized by it.

He lived a nice long life, died 20 years ago.

In the 1970s I served in the US Army for three years in Germany, our mission was to prevent the old Soviets from doing what they are now doing in Ukraine.

[Rocco DiPippo]

Are you kidding? We're not talking about the "mighty" Soviet Union today. There is little resemblance between that monstrosity and modern Russia, which is by any measure a barely- First World nation with severe economic and social issues and a military vastly degraded in comparison with the Soviet Union at the height of its military power in the mid 60s to the mid 70s. Yes, they have a massive nuclear aresenal, and so do we, and so does China and to a lesser degree, other nations, including the very unstable, essentially theocratic, nutjob country of Pakistan. Soon, Iran will be in the nuclear club too. . .

From your comment it seems you're still living in 1972 or thereabouts when the highly militarized Soviet Union was indisputably the West's most formidable enemy. But today, China is, by far, more of a threat to the US both economically and militarily than Russia is. It's not even close.

Do you seriously think Russia's goal is to initiate an unprovoked nuclear attack against the US? Against Europe? Only if there was absolutely no other option to prevents its total destruction I think and maybe not even then because if it did it would cease to exist, making the point moot. The US might do the same thing in the same situation. . .

Do you seriously think that "Hitler V Putin" rubs his hands together in glee at the prospect of conquering Europe? That would be utterly delusional to think. Russia's now a classic, corrupt, shopworn and tattered Eastern European country inhabited by people badly damaged - economically and emotionally - by communism's 80 year long, soul-deadening legacy there. It has a half-assed military and half-assed gear, and like Ukraine, is utterly corrupt to the core, the corruption and plunder orchestrated and carried out by a relatively small group of oligarchs and organized crime groups and individuals, in both countries. Eff both places. I care not one whit for either of them though I sympathize with all Russians and Ukrainians who've lost loved ones in this mess.

Not one more penny of our tax dollars should be plowed into the war between those two crapholes. They've been going at it for 100 years, or more, and the crap between the two places ratcheted way up after Chernobyl exploded and began getting even stupider once our wonderful "intelligence" agencies" and NATO began pushing up against Russia/Ukraine's borders.

Let 'em have at it.They'll beat each other up once again as they've been doing for years. Maybe someday the whole show will be sorted out between them, maybe not. Not our war and involvement in it is certainly not in the best interest of the US taxpayer, but may well be in the interests of the usual small cast of "elite" scumbags in the West, that's for sure.

"Pipehitters" slang for SF operators who directly take care of bad guys.

[BroJoeK]

"My truck with Ukraine is that is was a country, in it’s modern incantation nothing more than a clearing house for bribery , money laundering, gun running, sex slavery and a whole host of other nefarious dealings."

Sadly, the same can be said of our own country, or pretty much any other.
The question is: how much? To what degree are these things true of any given country?

This site lists 180 countries and ranks them according to levels of perceived corruption:

• Dennmark, at number 1, is said to be the least corrupt country, followed by New Zealand, Finland, Norway and Singapore.

• The US ranks number 24, slightly less corrupt than Taiwan, but slightly more corrupt that Austria, France, Belgium, the UK, Japan and Canada.

• China ranks number 65, tied with Cuba and Montenegro.

• Ukraine ranks down the list at 116, tied with the Philippines, Mongolia, Algeria, El Salvador and Angola.

• Russia ranks 137, tied with Paraguay and Mali, slightly less corrupt than Pakistan and Uganda.

• The most corrupt countries are said to be Yemen, Venezuela, Syria, South Sudan and Somalia, at number 180.

So, Russia, the more corrupt country invaded Ukraine, the less corrupt country.
But I don't think corruption alone should be the decider for who we will support or not support.
In the case of Russia and Ukraine, there is a much bigger picture that involves the question of whether the world will revert to the bad old days, where "might makes right" and bigger empires invade to annex their weaker neighbors.

That is the Old World that we were supposed to have defeated in two World Wars.
We will not like the results if we let it return with a vengeance against us.

[ganeemead]

"Polish General Skyrzypczak"....

Is that supposed to be pronounced as a Bronx cheer like the Al Cap character??

[Kazan]

“The globalist elites keep insisting on their exceptionalism; they pit people against each other, split societies, provoke bloody conflicts and coups, sow hatred, Russophobia and aggressive nationalism, destroy traditional family values that make human a human,” Valdimir Putin 5/9/23.

[Republican Wildcat]

Define “no one.” I’ve seen this sort of stuff posted here multiple times about both Russia and Ukraine - their defeats being imminent - days, weeks away - countless times since the conflict started. 14 months+ now of this.

[Republican Wildcat]

Your constant admiration for a murderous tyrant is again noted.

[dennisw]

Fake body double or real Putin at the military parade the other day that had just one ancient tank displaying

[MalPearce]

Was he talking about himself? Admitting what anyone that’s got more than 2 brain cells has already figured out?

Russian exceptionalism and manifest destiny.

Demonises Ukraine in one breath, calls ‘em brother the next.

Within months of declaring its lasting friendship with Ukraine, tried to assassinate Yuschenko to get the Muscovy puppet Yanukovych an unopposed run at the presidency.

Blackmailed Ukraine in summer 2013 by turning the gas off.

Got Yanukovych to violate his constitutional obligations, oath of office and commit high treason to enable a backdoor hijack.

Khokolphobia, unlike Russophobia, is an irrational fear. Russia REALLY WAS out to get Ukraine.

Putin the great? My arse. Putin the projectionist.

If Ukraine put Yanukovych and Putin very slowly through an industrial mincer, the stinky mush dropping out of the bottom would be a vast improvement on the intact scum going in the hopper.

[jmacusa]

Thanks for the info Joe. I believe in Plato's “Republic’’ he speaks to avarice and ambition and about governing without honor.

He may have been talking about Joe Biden and his ‘’hirelings’’.

At least in America Americans by and large are adverse to those who use public office to enrich themselves.

“Show me a man who got rich in politics and I'll show you a crook’’ said Harry Truman.

We do, by and large prosecute those officials who do sell their office for monetary gain. But to Ukraine and Russia there seems to be all the stew of money, ruthless ambition and power. I guess we just differ you and I on this issue. I don't see it as our concern and I don't see this as a repeat of 1939. We've moved on from that world, for better or worse. Funny that yesterday was the 83rd anniversary of the launching of Hitlers mad ambition in the West. Two generations of my family almost lost their lives fighting for Europe's freedom, in 1918 and 1944. I guess in some way it proves the point that the more things change the more they stay the same. I see this as a localized European problem. By now Europe should have learned how to deal with it's own squabbles without Uncle Sam running to the rescue. What concerns me more is the expected invasion on our southern border. For that I'd be willing to see our military somehow put a stop to it.

[alexander_busek]

Are you kidding? We're not talking about the "mighty" Soviet Union today. There is little resemblance between that monstrosity and modern Russia, which is by any measure a barely- First World nation with severe economic and social issues and a military vastly degraded in comparison with the Soviet Union at the height of its military power in the mid 60s to the mid 70s. Yes, they have a massive nuclear aresenal, and so do we, and so does China and to a lesser degree, other nations, including the very unstable, essentially theocratic, nutjob country of Pakistan. Soon, Iran will be in the nuclear club too. . .

Your claims are factually incorrect, and demonstrably so. Further, your opinion about Russia being "barely" a First World nation is a distraction / misdirection: The abysmal "quality of life" or laughable "standard of living" or "number of toilets per capita" in Russia are all irrelevant to any discussion about the military threat Russia poses.

Compared with today's Russia, the Soviet Union was even less on a par with the U.S. regarding consumer goods and such - but that is irrelevant.

The Soviet Union / Russia was NEVER a First World nation - neither by definition (it was, to be precise, a SECOND World nation - the term was actually created for that very purpose!), nor in fact. Russia is, as President Trump might say, a "sh*thole country." It has never been otherwise. IRRELEVANT to this discussion!

Russia possesses a total of 5,977 nuclear warheads as of 2022, the largest stockpile of nuclear warheads in the world; the second-largest stockpile is the United States' 5,428 warheads.

Assessing Red China's nuclear arsenal is more difficult still: They could be the world's 4th or even 3rd most-powerful nuclear force.

China is, by far, more of a threat to the US both economically and militarily than Russia is. It's not even close.

China is a greater economic threat, and it is definitely a greater military threat to Taiwan than is Russia to any client-state of the U.S., but China is less a threat to America, itself.

However, that, too, is IRRELEVANT to the discussion at hand. We are talking about Russia, and the possibility of there being other countries with a more-powerful military is IRRELEVANT to a discussion of the Russian threat.

(It may be useful to occasionally mention other countries, simply for the sake of comparison, and to get a better idea of the relative strength, since none of us here are actual military experts - but it is invalid (a logical fallacy) to downplay Russia's threat potential by emphasizing China's possible strengths.)

Do you seriously think that "Hitler V Putin" rubs his hands together in glee at the prospect of conquering Europe? That would be utterly delusional to think.

It is a waste of time to pretend that you can read Putin's thoughts, or guess his true motives. Rational thinkers focus instead on what might plausibly happen, based on established FACTS ON THE GROUND.

It is more than plausible, given Putin's bad track-record (Georgia, Crimea, the Invasion of 2022), that making concessions to Putin now - negotiating a peace favorable to Russia, for instance - would only encourage him (or one of his successors) to launch another "Special Military Operation" a few years down the line.

Even if Russia were to never start another war - if the West appeases Putin, other "bad actors" would take this as a sign of weakness and complacency on the part of the collective West and be likewise encouraged to misbehave.

In invading Crimea in 2014 - but even more so in invading the rest of Ukraine in 2022 - Putin has breached the established principle of the inviolability of international borders in Europe which has stood since the close of WWII.

He has willfully launched the bloodiest war in Europe since WWII, and must not be rewarded for it.

Putin must lose!

Regards,

[Cronos]

DesertRus " Anyone with the slightest sense of decorum would know you don’t throw the normal festive event in the middle of people and soldiers sacrificin"

So, you saying that last year was Putin mocking Russians?

[Cronos]

No one on FR that I’ve read and definitely not me has made that statement.

[gleeaikin]

I thought the man in your Comment #112 looked a lot like Lukechenko, not Putin. I looked at the photo of the Belarus leader in the post about him needing physical help at Putin’s May 9th celebration. They are both wearing a dark/black coat, with one ornament pinned on the right side near the button closing the coat. Also both have a blue or light shirt, and a darker tie. No other differences. The furrowing in the forehead looks similar. Take another look at the two photos. What do you think now?

[Rocco DiPippo]

US out of Ukraine, period, end of story. Not one more penny for that craphole and its corrupt, grifting Globalist puppet. No more spook-directed foreign entanglements and "adventures" that end up enriching the few, killing young men, and fleecing the US taxpayer.

America is currently a complete mess and fading fast. That's where American resources and focus must be right now.

The greatest threat to the West, and specifically America, isn't Russia and it isn't China. It is a relatively small group of leftist/globalist scumbags and nasty ideologues intent on burning the traditional West to the ground and replacing it with a world-wide, totalitarian government run by the few, for the few.

Let the COVID sham be your guide - that was a probing mission and it told the bastards all they needed to know about future assaults on freedom. The main conclusion they garnered from that play was that most Westerners, Americans included, are cowards and sheep who will obey whatever lies and commands the leftist/globalist-run media and their spokesmen tell them. America, and the West, are being conquered from within and the enemy is winning, time after time, battle after battle because the so-called "good guys" never show up to fight them.

Meanwhile, the nice man on the TV instructs people to "Stand With Ukraine," a shithole country that most of them couldn't locate on a map. Ugh.

I don't give a crap about two messed up countries filled with people even more non-virtuous and dysfunctional than Americans are who are duking it out over what is at its core a border dispute, one that's been going on, in various forms, for many decades. Not our circus.

[BroJoeK]

alexander_busek: "Even if Russia were to never start another war - if the West appeases Putin, other "bad actors" would take this as a sign of weakness and complacency on the part of the collective West and be likewise encouraged to misbehave.

In invading Crimea in 2014 - but even more so in invading the rest of Ukraine in 2022 - Putin has breached the established principle of the inviolability of international borders in Europe which has stood since the close of WWII.

He has willfully launched the bloodiest war in Europe since WWII, and must not be rewarded for it.

Putin must lose!"

Thanks, in a nutshell, that has been my argument from the beginning.