The Russian army has poor logistics, poor equipment maintenance and almost no decent NCO cadre. They have trouble resupplying, keeping their equipment going and if you kill their officers, their NCO’s have paltry leadership and tactical skills. Formidable on paper, not so much in real life.
I am not worried about WW3 at this point. Even Putin must realize now after Iraq, Syria and Ukraine that in any conventional fight against the west (and especially against the American military), he would be wiped out.
“ I am not worried about WW3 at this point. Even Putin must realize now after Iraq, Syria and Ukraine that in any conventional fight against the west (and especially against the American military), he would be wiped out.”
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I agree with your assessment of a conventional fight - and that is EXACTLY why I am worried. Piss poor Red Army performance in Finland (after Stalin gutted their officer corps led Hitler to conclude that he could just “kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will collapse.” That cost them 26 million dead and nearly destroyed them. If Putin thinks that the Chinese and/or us believe that, then he might just decide to use the nukes as a way to forestall a later attack by an emboldened enemy.