Russia has, and produces, more air defense systems than the rest of the world combined. They have long known they were no match for NATO air power, so they concentrated on air defense. NATO, Europe really, placed themselves at risk by failing to build air defenses for their population centers, industry and critical infrastructure. Now they desperately need to catch up. Fortunately for Europe, Russia has expended their cruise and ballistic missile stockpile in Ukraine, giving them a window to address this gap. I'm not confident they will.
What a Blessing!
“Russia Is Storing Up a Crime Wave When Its War on Ukraine Ends”
“Court data in Russia shows a spike in crimes by servicemen”
“Convicts recruited to fight in war start to return to Russia”
“Russia has sent so many men to join its war in Ukraine that crime levels in the country fell soon after the invasion began. Now their return is starting to unleash a wave of offending.
Crimes committed by servicemen that aren’t linked to the war increased by more than 20% last year, according to data from Russia’s Supreme Court. While the overall numbers are still small and many returning servicemembers don’t go onto commit offenses, there was a jump in cases of violent crimes as well as thefts and drug-related transgressions.
The figures exclude crimes involving tens of thousands of convicts released from jail to join the war under a program set up by the late Wagner mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. Those who survived six months at the front were able to gain a pardon from President Vladimir Putin and return to Russia as free men.
In prison, “they are treated like ‘we are nothing,’ then it all gets even worse at the front,” said Kazan-based sociologist Iskender Yasaveev. “The experience they return with is a trauma that will manifest itself for decades.””