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No, You’re Not Imagining It: Russia’s Army Is Inept
Slate ^ | Feb 28, 2022 | Fred Kaplan

Posted on 02/28/2022 6:52:04 PM PST by Renfrew

Troops are trained in rote set pieces, with no time devoted to improvising if things don’t go as planned.

Military operations designed to take place sequentially—Step 1, then 2, then 3, etc.—fell apart, catastrophically. If Step 2 hit a big obstacle, the by-the-book soldiers moved on to Step 3 anyway. Therefore, large troop-transport planes tried to land, even though the airport hadn’t been completely secured and Ukrainian air defense systems hadn’t been destroyed. As a result, two Il-76 transport planes, each carrying 100 airborne troops, were shot down.

Tanks aren’t supposed to roll through hostile territory all alone. They need to be escorted by infantry troops alongside or by combat planes from above, to avoid getting ambushed. Yet, in this invasion, Russian tanks are rolling all on their own or providing protection for reconnaissance scouts, but getting no protection for themselves. So, as might be expected, lots of Russian tanks are getting ambushed.

(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: fredkaplan; lowmorale; putinsbuttboys; putinworshippers; russia; russianaggression; slate; ukraine
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To: nickcarraway

Quantity has a quality all its own. The Russians managed to conquer a huge empire and subjugate many nationalities in their lands. They were never good at logistics and tactics but ultimately they prevailed.


21 posted on 02/28/2022 7:02:12 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: Renfrew

My brother has friends in Ukraine and from what he is hearing the Russians don’t want to fight which is causing huge problems for this Biden financed invasion and much frustration for Putin.

All I want to know is where the hell are Republicans and where are the calls for an independent investigation counsel into why Biden sanctioned US energy and lifted energy sanctions on Russia?


22 posted on 02/28/2022 7:02:53 PM PST by GrandJediMasterYoda (As long as Hillary Clinton remains free, the USA will never have equal justice under the law)
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To: MagillaX

“I find no moral champion in this fight. When a new source takes sides it makes me wonder if it is just propaganda. So much fake news and fake blogs and fake posts where is one to go.”

True - am with you on this.


23 posted on 02/28/2022 7:03:16 PM PST by happyathome
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To: Renfrew

And just like that, a bunch of Freepers agreed with Slate.com

When I see Mitt Romney, Fox News, Richard Spencer, Ben Shapiro, CNN, and a significant number of Freepers all agreeing, I start to doubt the narrative.

What if this war is over within 2 weeks? The list of who we can trust around here will have shrunken significantly.

If nothing else, Putin cured COVID-19. I haven’t heard much about it in last few days. So, there’s that.


24 posted on 02/28/2022 7:04:03 PM PST by cdcdawg (Everyone who disagrees with me is a Qtard blogger!!!!)
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To: Renfrew
It is Slate.

It is propaganda.

Some of it may be true; It is only day 5.

Russia has lots of firepower. It can do lots of damage.

The question is: will doing lots of damage get it what it wants? Does Putin believe doing lots of damage can get it what it wants?

Not much reason for Russia to stop, until it starts receiving lots of damage. It takes a lot of damage to the troops in Ukraine to count as damage to Russia.

25 posted on 02/28/2022 7:04:48 PM PST by marktwain (Amazing people can read a persons entire personality and character from one photograph.)
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To: Renfrew

“useful analysis of the Russian way of war”

It’s funny basing an “analysis” on some questionable tiktok videos and stories that have been shown to be hoaxes. Equally amusing is the idea that a conflict is supposed to be be over in 4 days. (eyeroll here) Millennials, even the Six Day War would’ve been too long to handle. “Why is it takiiiing sooo looong???”


26 posted on 02/28/2022 7:05:16 PM PST by LouieFisk
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To: nickcarraway

One person with a high power rifle can decimate a tank crew thats not buttoned up. You take out the tank commander, its all downhill from there.


27 posted on 02/28/2022 7:05:16 PM PST by Newbomb Turk
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To: nickcarraway

> That’s nothing new, Russia’s armies have mostly been inept. <

Much of what the author mentioned was true about the Red Army even as it was rolling back the Nazis late in the war. There was very little improvisation, and very little deviation from the plans. But by 1943 the Red Army was lead by very competent generals. What is the quality of the generals leading the Russian army today?


28 posted on 02/28/2022 7:05:46 PM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: Renfrew

It’s Slate.

It’s propaganda.

The fact of the matter is that Putin is intentionally holding back.


29 posted on 02/28/2022 7:05:48 PM PST by Skywise
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To: nickcarraway

Stalingrad was pretty badass though?


30 posted on 02/28/2022 7:06:28 PM PST by Borges
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To: marktwain

lol... DUDE! Jinx!


31 posted on 02/28/2022 7:06:38 PM PST by Skywise
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To: Renfrew

It’s SLATE. Nothing useful comes out of that Uber Leftist rag. The Russkies have always sucked at warfare.
If it were not for their atrocious weather in winter, the fact they are a nuclear power, and the fact that there’s nothing in Russia worth invading for they would have been conquered decades ago.
Russia is basically a country that the world needs not. They have nothing to offer or to contribute to society except the danger they represent because they know all of this to be true and they have a deep and dangerous complex about it.


32 posted on 02/28/2022 7:09:24 PM PST by ocrp1982 (In Christ All Things are Possible)
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To: Renfrew

” Ukrainian air defense systems hadn’t been destroyed. As a result, two Il-76 transport planes, each carrying 100 airborne troops, were shot down.”

Proof? And wreckage?


33 posted on 02/28/2022 7:09:41 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: Renfrew

Your Rank and File Russian Solder is just a bullet magnet and a mobile trigger puller.

This makes up 60-70% of their troops.


34 posted on 02/28/2022 7:10:14 PM PST by dila813
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Imagine using Slate to feed your confirmation bias.


35 posted on 02/28/2022 7:10:41 PM PST by proust (All posts made under this handle are, for the intents and purposes of the author, considered satire.)
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To: ScottinVA; reasonisfaith

Sources? He don’t need no stinkin’ sources.


36 posted on 02/28/2022 7:11:12 PM PST by Mr. Lucky
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To: Renfrew

I’ve read claims that the Russians intended to sieze the airfields, and land their quality troops there, and that the ground assault was relegated to poorly-trained conscripts primarily as a diversion.

Not sure if that’s true. The only thing I am sure of is that nobody knows shit...


37 posted on 02/28/2022 7:11:25 PM PST by jdege
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To: RBW in PA

RE: “And ours is any better?”

We do not know. The American military has not been allowed to win a war for damn near 80 years. The closest was First Gulf War, 30 years ago. General Norman Schwarzkopf did a masterful job, but alas the politicians took over & fixed it. Money to be made, doncha know?


38 posted on 02/28/2022 7:12:23 PM PST by Tupelo (“Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f*ck things up” (Barack Obama))
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To: Renfrew

BS.

Putin doesn’t want to destroy Ukraine. He is conducting surgical operations for now.

If Ukraine does not surrender, overwhelming force will be next, and hundreds of thousands will die.


39 posted on 02/28/2022 7:12:48 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum ("Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy." ― Mao Zedong [FJB])
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To: RBW in PA

>>> And ours is any better?

By far... due simply to the versatility of our command structure.

They treat their military like their civilians...

Elites and Pee-ons.

Not true in our military... at least it didn’t used to be.


40 posted on 02/28/2022 7:13:10 PM PST by Safrguns
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