This will seriously have dented Russia's missile stockpile. And according to (unverified) reports, over half were shot down. (41 out of 75). What they need is a version of Israel's Iron Dome system to protect the major cities. Providing longer range weapons isn't necessary. They can do plenty of damage with what they've got already. The aim isn't to attack Russia within its internationally recognised borders. The aim is to rout them from what they've annexed.
Avoiding the draft when it's your nation being invaded and fighting for its very existence is questionable at best. Certainly even if someone was a conscientious objector I'd expect them to contribute to the war effort if/when called up even if they didn't fight on the front lines.
Nobody said that Russian soldiers avoiding the draft for a fascist, ethnic, expeditionary war was morally wrong.
Much like Germany in WWII, it's not just Putin but his enablers as well. Many of the people who are currently sanctioned also need to be removed from their positions of power and authority.
For some time I’ve thought Russia can only be brought properly to heel by a complete military defeat and a purge through death and prison sentences, a la Nuremberg. This is almost an impossible scenario and I’m finding it difficult to visualise how the war will end.
But it won't magically end with the death of Putin either.
Just like it's just 'luck' whether you happen to be born in a Ukrainian village that gets bombed?
Is it really up to us (or anyone) to "bring Russia to heel"? It's one thing to say that they need to participate in the world order in accordance with the rules of the UN, but they can be as contrary and objectionable as they want to be while doing so. What they mustn't do any more is attempt to enforce their national policy by unprovoked military action against third nations.
Agreed - that’s what I meant.
I wouldn't be surprised if a WW1-style ending from Russia/USSR perspective is how it ends, i.e., they leave/cease fighting in Ukraine but a civil war/revolution breaks out in Russia itself, so while the war in Ukraine ends, war involving Russia doesn't for a while longer. It definitely won't end with a peace settlement while either Putin or a similar figure is at the helm, plenty of treaties since 2014 have shown their untrustworthiness.
I think size of the economy and how it affects the Government's priorities is more of a factor. Countries in the G7/G20 are effectively competing against each other for the best GDP/international standing (even though they are generally friendly), so give a strong international focus. Smaller countries economically (often also geographically but not always) do not have this clout/ability, so their Governments will have to show a stronger focus to their domestic citizens because they cannot get away with a dominant international focus. This is why in effect the G7/20 might be the world's richest countries, but they don't necessarily have the best quality of life beyond a very small group of very rich people.
They have been given an extremely short leash from the USA (and, no doubt other NATO countries) where treatment of prisoners is concerned.
While I'm not naïve enough to think that there won't be instances of surrendering soldiers being killed by 'overenthusiastic' Ukrainian troops, everything I've seen so far suggests that the average Ukrainian soldier understands that most Russian troops don't want to be there, and don't want to fight. I don't expect to hear about systemic Ukrainian massacres when this war is over.
