[AnglePark]

There ought to be objective answers to these questions.

You're probably never going to get solid answers, from either side. Maybe after it's all over, but even then I doubt it. You're certainly not going to get it from a lot of FReepers -- both sides have dug trenches, with most doing nothing but slinging (immature) mud at each other.

I will say the only thing I've learned for certain, as I've said many times (and have believed since the fall of the Soviet Union, and the Gulf War), Russia doesn't have the vaunted military our Military-Industrial Complex led us to believe. They are Third World, at best.

[BroJoeK]

AngelPark: "I will say the only thing I've learned for certain, as I've said many times (and have believed since the fall of the Soviet Union, and the Gulf War), Russia doesn't have the vaunted military our Military-Industrial Complex led us to believe.
They are Third World, at best."

I am 100% pro-Ukrainian, and for exactly that reason, I would never underestimate the Russians.
Here are some key points to remember about Russia:

1. First & foremost, Russians are not stupid, they learn as fast as anyone else just what works and what doesn't work.
   In due time, they will figure out how to win.

2. Russia is a huge country with almost unlimited natural resources and three times the population of Ukraine.
   If they put their minds & backs into it, they will build an awesome conventional military force.

3. Economically, I see conflicting reports on whether Western sanctions against Russia have actually done damage.
   I suspect not, but we have forced Russians to realign their economy away from the West and more towards the East, notably China, India, Pakistan and Iran.
   And, if I understand correctly, higher energy prices have more than paid for the costs of war in Ukraine.
   So Vlad is profiting from his invasion of Ukraine.

4. My understanding (I could be wrong) is that Russia has held in strategic reserve two thirds of its military, including its best units.
   These are to protect the 12,000+ miles of Russian borders that are not with Ukraine.

5. No military, no matter how well equipped & trained, can become a true fighting force without the hard lessons learned in actually fighting.
   Both Russia and China have awesome militaries -- on paper, on the parade grounds -- but neither has been seriously tested in battle in a very long time.
   So, Ukraine is Russia's trial by fire and, even if they lose Ukraine, the Russian military will come out of it much stronger and better prepared for their next invasion.

   The historical example here is, the Russian army which could barely defeat the Finns in 1939 was somehow able to (barely) withstand the German onslaught in in 1941, before becoming a world war winning force in, circa, 1943.

6. Off-setting that, presumably, so will the E.U. and NATO be better much prepared next time.