How rotten is Russia’s army?
Vladimir Putin uses warfare to make up for Russia’s weaknesses. That is why he is so dangerous
THE MIGHT of the modern Russian army was supposed to show the world that President Vladimir Putin had restored his country to greatness after the humiliation of the Soviet collapse. Instead, poor progress and heavy losses in Ukraine have exposed deep flaws within Russia. For those threatened by Mr Putin’s aggression, a diminished army is a relief. Unfortunately, it also leaves a nuclear-armed power with a point to prove.
So far, the invasion of Ukraine has been a disaster for Russia’s armed forces. About 15,000 troops have been killed in two months of fighting, according to Britain’s government. At least 1,600 armoured vehicles have been destroyed, along with dozens of aircraft and the flagship of the Black Sea fleet. The assault on the capital, Kyiv, was a chaotic failure.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline "How rotten is Russia’s army?"
From the April 28th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Leaders
Why South Africans are fed up after 30 years of democracy
After a bright start the ANC has proved incapable of governing for the whole country
How disinformation works—and how to counter it
More co-ordination is needed, and better access to data
America’s reckless borrowing is a danger to its economy—and the world’s
Without good luck or a painful adjustment, the only way out will be to let inflation rip