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Maybe this is already ocurring but Russia is in need of serious military reform. Jane's Military Review did a piece a couple of years back on russian tactics in Chechnya and it was scathing. It said that Russia- in it's decade long war in Afghanistan learned nothing about fighting guerillas and was using outmoded WWII tactics still! Heavy Artillery followed by tanks and Helicopters and troops. Meanwhile the Guerillas disappear.

I have also read that the russian Military is plauged by rampant extreme hazing that includes ritualistic rape and even murder and that there is no Non Commissioned officer corp- just "first" privates. Is any of this true?

The original Chechin war, which is radically different from this one from day one, was rampantly corrupt and many of the commanding generals were on the take...they were paid off to make stupid decisions. As for the hazing...yeah it is bad and needs massive overhaul. But read up on how this war was/is being fought...that's why so many guerrilla bosses are dead or some what dismembered. Because of the corruption of the previous war, it was possible to tag over 700 Chechin terrorists heading out of Grozny this time...they thought they'd bought their way out...guess a few new sherrifs were in charge this time.